mandel cultural leadership program

Wherever Jews settled in the world, artists and thinkers created new traditions and interpretations that enriched Jewish life and responded to contemporary challenges. This creativity enabled successive generations to discover the beauty of Judaism and draw on its resources to imagine new futures. Today, as ever, we need artists and cultural producers to lead the way, harnessing creativity, imagination, and courage to shape Jewish futures and more just and democratic societies. 

The Mandel Cultural Leadership Program is a two-year fellowship designed to support artists in honing their visions for creative and social impact, developing their capacity as agents of change in the Jewish community and broader society. The program aims to cultivate fellows’ creative wellsprings and work, leadership capacities and visions for change, and collaborative networks.

Program Overview

The two-year program fosters a rigorous learning community of artists who instigate work that is courageous, boundary-breaking, intellectually-curious, and rooted in the richness of Jewish history and culture. The fellowship includes:

Seminars

An intensive curriculum comprised of five in-person seminars, bi-monthly virtual meetings, and an individualized course plan to develop skills and knowledge.

Advisors

Dedicated work with an advisor to advance creative work or research.

Seminar Dates

Seminar I: Aug 9-11, 2026
Seminar II: Nov 8-12, 2026
Seminar III: April 4-8, 2027
Seminar IV: January 11-18, 2028
Seminar V: May 21 -25, 2028