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The Wisdom Exchange Project by Shirah Rubin

 


Arts and Culture Initiative

 

As an investor and convener, CJP is committed to supporting a rich and vibrant Jewish arts and culture community within Greater Boston. We support Jewish artists and arts organizations through fellowships, grants, and partnerships, and by fostering engagement with this work throughout our community.  

Arts and culture can powerfully connect us to Jewishness and to one another; bring us into deep and challenging conversations; and illuminate and preserve Jewish experience and memory. Through this work, we will celebrate, heal, and engage with the world.  

We are excited to explore and appreciate the beauty of Jewish arts and culture, together.  




What are we working on?
 

Community Creative Fellowship
 

  • A partnership with the Jewish Arts Collaborative, this Fellowship gives artists in the Greater Boston area the opportunity to create, learn, and engage with the community.
  • Meet the 2024 Community Creative Fellows
  • Applications are currently closed for the current cohort of the Community Creative Fellowship. More information will be posted about future opportunities in the Spring of 2024. 


CJP Arts and Culture Community Impact Grant Fund​ 
 

CJP is continuing to invest in our local artists- we are pleased to have recently chosen our 4th and newest cohort. Check back here after the new year for more information about the artists!

Created in 2020, the grant pool supports artistic endeavors that:

  • Embrace the diversity and complexity of Jewish identity, community, and tradition
  • Spark questions, fosters curiosity, and/or invites communal dialogue on a range of topics, both within the Jewish community and/or across diverse communities 
  • Creatively interpret or re-invent Jewish teachings, life, ritual, or tradition 


The 2023-2024 Grant Fund is now closed. The 2024-2025 Art and Culture Community Impact Grant Fund will open around August 1st, 2024. Check back here for more information this Spring. If you are interested in receiving an email when the grant fund opens, please email Carissa at carissaw@cjp.org.

 

 

Mental health and the arts 
 

CJP has invested in innovative approaches to support our community’s mental health. Using techniques based in art therapy, our Create and Connect Initiative used art therapists as consultants to work with community organizations in support of staff and families. We know art-based opportunities open new doors for healing, rejuvenation, and introspection, and were proud to offer these resources to support our community. Please enjoy this video highlighting some of the work. 

CJP's Arts and Culture "Art Can..." Microfund

Is your organization looking for a creative way to build community, deepen Jewish learning, offer opportunities for self-care/wellness, or create conversation around resonant topics such as social justice and antisemitism?

Have you considered partnering with a local artist to achieve your goals? If yes - great! If not - let us help you think about it!

CJP’s “Art Can…” Microfund is offering small funds to help organizations welcome artists into their communities, working together to use art as a tool to design meaningful programming for your community. Together, we can explore and appreciate all that art can do.

This pilot microfund will connect organizations with local artist partners to co-create meaningful programming that will allow an opportunity to highlight how art can…
… build connection and community
… be therapeutic
… deepen Jewish learning
… create conversation

CJP’s “Art Can…” Microfund seeks to support organizations that:
-Want to explore the potential of art as an access point for engagement.
-Have identified a topic/area of interest that they are curious to explore using art as a guiding lens.
-Are interested in partnering with an artist to create programmatic opportunities for their community.

Eligibility:
-Organizations must be located within CJP's catchment area and be a public charity with an IRS letter of Determination, have arranged for a fiscal sponsor, or be a synagogue or other religious organization that is a currently operating house of worship in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
-Applicants must enhance the well-being and vibrancy of the Jewish community.
-Developed programming should be intended to engage a Jewish audience or an interfaith audience.
-Event/program should go beyond pure entertainment and include active participation by attendees.
-Organizations can, but do not need to, have an artist partner already identified. CJP and a community art consultant will help advise you along the way to help find a good match to help you achieve your programmatic goals.

Funding amount: 
$1,500 microfunds (up to 12 available): These microfunds will be awarded to organizations to support the implementation of programming with a partner artist.

Funding Requirements:
-Organizations will be required to sign a funding agreement with CJP.
-Organizations will participate in an initial meeting with CJP/community art consultant to help jumpstart the process and identify potential partner artists.
-Organizations will be required to actively engage community members, including offering an opportunity for discussion/reflection as part of the programming.
-A minimum of 50% of the funding should be allocated to the artist.
-Organizations will take all reasonable measures to ensure that individuals with disabilities will have access to the programming (e.g., accessibility into the building and restrooms; access for visually or hearing-impaired individuals).
-Programming must initially be presented in CJP's catchment area.
-Organizations will have 12 months from the date the funding agreement is signed to complete their work.
-Organizations will complete a short end of project report/summary.
-Project and publicity materials for the program receiving funding must include the CJP logo (available at www.cjp.org/logos) and this tagline: This project is supported by funding from the Combined Jewish Philanthropies “Art Can…” Microfund

Timeline/Steps:
-February 2024, Microfund announced
-Late February 2024, Applications go live
-Microfund info session, March 12th, 2-3pm on zoom (email sophiek@cjp.org for the link)
-April 5th 2024, Applications due
-May 2024, Awardees informed
-May/June 2024, Initial meetings to brainstorm artist partner possibilities
-June 2024, Artist partners confirmed
-June 2024 – June 2025, Grant period

To fill out an application, click here!

To watch our recent information, please click here!

For any questions, please contact Sophie Krentzman at sophiek@cjp.org or Carissa Woolf-Makover at carissaw@cjp.org




Sophie Krentzman is leading CJP into the arts and culture space to support and lift up our creative community. In this video, get to know Sophie's artistic background, discover how this work became a priority for CJP, and learn about the key arts and culture initiatives for this year and beyond.