2026 Mentorship Program

KlezKanada’s year-round Yiddish arts and culture Mentorship Program is part of our commitment to developing Yiddish music, arts, scholarship, and pedagogy in Canada. This program supports Canadian Jewish cultural practitioners by pairing them with Canadian or international mentors who represent the leading artists, teachers, and consultants working in the Yiddish cultural world. Recognizing that it can sometimes be challenging for Canadian Jewish artists and scholars to find the educational resources they need at home, KlezKanada’s mentorship program supports Canadian cultural practitioners in developing their craft and connecting them to the Yiddish cultural ecosystem, both in Canada and beyond.

The 2026 Mentorship Program is supported through the generosity of the Zita and Mark Bernstein Family Foundation.

Photo: Lloyd Wolf, 2024.
2026 Program Description

The 2026 KlezKanada Mentorship Program will include both online and onsite elements. The program will feature a cohort of three participants, each paired with a mentor based on goals expressed in their application. Between March and August, the cohort will participate in cohort building and/or professional development opportunities, in addition to their one:one mentorships. In August, Mentees will attend KlezKanada’s Summer Retreat. Participants are expected to engage with all aspects of the program. Both Mentees and Mentors will receive a stipend. Mentees will have their Summer Retreat registration covered by the program. Mentees based outside of Montreal will be offered a travel stipend.

Program Structure:
  • The deadline to submit applications is January 16, 2026.
  • Mentees will be notified at the beginning of February and, working with KlezKanada’s Artistic Director, Avia Moore, matched with a mentor.
  • Online cohort sessions, which will include opportunities for sharing, peer support, and professional development, will be held in March, June, and September (exact dates TBD). Each one:one mentorship will include seven sessions: a mapping session, five mentorship sessions, and a debrief session.
  • Participants are expected to submit a short reflection and program evaluation at the end of the program.
  • Participants will attend KlezKanada’s Summer Retreat from August 17-23.
Eligibility

Open to cultural practitioners based in Canada whose work engages or intersects with Yiddish language, arts, and culture.

We define cultural practitioners broadly and include artists, scholars and researchers, teachers, producers and organizers. If you have questions about whether you are eligible to apply, please contact KlezKanada’s Artistic Director, Avia Moore, for further information (avia [dot] moore [at] klezkanada [dot] org).

Timeline

Application Deadline: January 16, 2026
Applicants Notified: February 1, 2026
Cohort Sessions: March, June, September (exact dates TBD)
Mentorship Sessions: April to August, dates to be determined by participants and mentors.
Summer Retreat: August 17-23, 2026

FAQs