Jewish Artists' Initiative (JAI) was established in 2004 by the USC Gayle Garner Roski School of Fine Arts and USC Casden Institute with support from the Jewish Community Foundation in order to serve Jewish visual artists and the Los Angeles Jewish community at large. JAI supports Jewish artists at all stages of their careers by generating interest in contemporary art and Jewish culture, organizing and promoting exhibitions and lectures, providing an online virtual community with links to artists, and encouraging dialogue about Jewish identity and related issues among the arts community. It harnesses the power of visual arts to engender a sense of affiliation among Jews in and beyond Los Angeles and Tel Aviv.

The Quest for Transformational Jewish Art project expands JAI's infrastructure and programming in order to support Jewish artists from Los Angeles and Tel Aviv; connect Jewish artists with collectors, patrons, and each other; and create thoughtful exhibitions in both countries. Exhibitions and events are organized at synagogues, non-profit organizations, and cultural centers. They are designed to engage the public, scholars, and cultural commentators in Jewish art and provoke increased dialogue about Jewish identity. The program utilizes the Tel Aviv-Los Angeles Partnership framework to build a stronger connection with Israel.

This generous grant from The Foundation demonstrates their commitment to promoting a community dialogue about issues related to Jewish identity. With their support we will bring together artists from Los Angeles and Tel Aviv, broadening the conversation and inspiring visual art that reflects our community's enthusiasm and challenges.

Ruth Weisberg, Dean, Gayle Garner Roski School of Fine Arts, Jewish Artists Initiative