FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 12, 2025
CJP and The Vilna Launch Applications for the 6th Annual Community Creative Fellowship
Empowering artists to explore Jewish life and engage community through creativity
Boston, MA – Combined Jewish Philanthropies (CJP) and The Vilna Shul, Boston’s Center for Jewish Culture, are now accepting applications for the 6th annual Community Creative Fellowship — a unique paid opportunity that supports artists exploring Jewish life and helps bring innovative, meaningful and creative experiences to the Greater Boston Jewish community and beyond.
Launched in 2020 by CJP and the Jewish Arts Collaborative (now part of The Vilna Shul), the fellowship was created to amplify the voices of artists whose work illuminates Jewish stories, sparks dialogue, and builds connections across diverse communities. The program began with two fellows and quickly revealed a deep hunger for Jewish creativity and artistic exploration. By 2023, it expanded to support four artists annually, providing resources, mentorship, and community connections to help bring their visions to life.
The 2025 cohort was an exemplary year, producing projects that pushed the boundaries of Jewish cultural expression. Fellow Sandra Mayo described the experience as “a gift, a rare opportunity to come to my art as my full self.” Fellows AJ Rubin and Neta Weiner broke new ground with klezhop — a genre-bending fusion of traditional klezmer and the rhythm and energy of hip hop — a collaboration they credit to the fellowship’s unique environment for artistic risk-taking. “This fellowship,” said Weiner, “was the impetus for bringing ancient and modern roots together in a way that is totally and uniquely Boston.”
“When we started the fellowship in 2020, we knew artists needed support — social, emotional, spiritual, and financial — to create work in line with their Jewish identity,” said Laura Mandel, Managing Director of Program Strategy and Impact of The Vilna and co-creator of the program. “What we’ve learned in five years is how deeply this program has impacted artists and communities in understanding one another, and the beautiful ripple effects this creates.”
The 2026 cohort will again support four Boston-area artists, with a focus on those whose work reflects the diversity of Jewish identity and experience, helping audiences see and understand Judaism in its many forms. Fellows will be encouraged to create work that reaches audiences of all ages, crosses artistic disciplines, and engages the community in vibrant, thought-provoking ways.
“The fellowship is more than an artist grant,” said Sophie Krentzman, Associate Vice President, Jewish Communal Life at CJP and program co-creator. “It’s a platform for artists to inspire, challenge, and connect our community through the richness of Jewish creativity. The goal is low-barrier access for communities across Greater Boston — and it’s incredible to see the work our alumni are doing and the ripples they are creating worldwide.”
Applications for the 2025–2026 Community Creative Fellowship are open now through September 9, 2025. Artists of all backgrounds across Greater Boston are encouraged to apply.
About The Vilna
The Vilna Shul is a cultural center in a historic synagogue building in downtown Boston. Our mission is to spark excitement and curiosity about Jewish arts and culture and our American immigrant story through vibrant and meaningful experiences.
In 2025, the Jewish Arts Collaborative became part of The Vilna, bringing its nationally recognized programs into the organization. The Community Creative Fellowship, founded by JArts and CJP in 2020, now calls The Vilna home, continuing its mission to support Jewish artists and foster a thriving creative ecosystem in Boston.
About CJP
CJP (Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston) inspires and mobilizes the Greater Boston Jewish community to engage in building communities of learning and action that strengthen Jewish life and improve the world. They achieve this through programs that focus on poverty alleviation, support for the elderly, housing assistance, and more, while also fostering connections with Israel and global Jewry.
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