The Azrieli Scholarship Program is one-of-a-kind in the Jewish arts world. It brings together young artists and scholars to study Yiddish culture and Jewish music at KlezKanada’s annual Summer Retreat at a highly reduced rate. In the immersive environment of the Retreat, program participants can study with the leading teachers of klezmer music, Yiddish song, language, dance, and theatre, and Jewish history, literature, and culture. Often graduating to positions on KlezKanada’s faculty, program participants carry their art and expertise worldwide. In short, they become innovative culture makers and leaders in contemporary Jewish culture.
We invite applications in any field from candidates aged 18-36 who specialize in or want to study any field related to Jewish arts and culture. Being a scholarship participant at KlezKanada is about creating a cohort, facilitating mentorship, sparking and incubating collaborations, and establishing networks that reach far beyond the festival week.
If you have any questions about the program or the application process, please reach out to our Scholarship Coordinator, Zoë Aqua at klezkanada [dot] scholarships [at] gmail [dot] com.
Scholarship FAQs
The Azrieli Scholarship Program allows young artists and scholars of all backgrounds to attend KlezKanada’s annual Summer Retreat at a highly reduced rate.
This internationally renowned program offers participants an opportunity to study with the leading teachers of klezmer music, Yiddish song, language, dance and theatre, and Jewish history, literature, and culture. Many past scholarship recipients have launched successful careers and returned to KlezKanada as faculty members. Participants also become part of a tight-knit cohort, forging connections that last long after the week of the Summer Retreat. Through workshops, networking activities, jam sessions, and more, our program participants make life-long friends, find mentorship, and deepen their creative and intellectual practice.
We invite applications in any field from candidates aged 18-36 who specialize in or want to study any field related to Jewish arts and culture. Candidates must provide a small portfolio of their work to apply.
Each year, we seek to assemble a group which represents different specialities, levels, geographical regions, ages, and gender identities. You don't have to be an expert in your field to apply! Our goal is to have a group with a wide range of levels, from established artists and scholars to up-and-coming folks to participants who are brand new to Yiddish culture and/or their art form.
The 2024 registration fee for scholarship participants is $400 CAD. This fee covers room, board, and full programming.
The scholarship registration fee must be paid in full by July 1st. Participants who have not paid the fee by the deadline will forfeit their spot to a participant on the waiting list.
The application for our 2024 Azrieli Scholarship Program is now online. Applications are due by May 1, 2024.
Applications should be submitted by filling out an online application form, which includes a statement of interest and a small portfolio. Please note that we consider the statement of interest to be the most important element of the application.
If you’re not yet playing at the level of Naftule Brandwein, don’t despair! Our goal is to assemble a balanced cohort of students, from those who are experienced musicians to those who are new to their instruments, and from those who frequently play klezmer to those who are new to the scene. This is also true of other disciplines! We encourage you to apply no matter your discipline, level, or knowledge of Yiddish culture.
The portfolio consists of one to two submissions which represent your work and expertise. The portfolio requirement is pretty open: you can submit audio recordings, videos, written pieces (literary or scholarly), photos, zines… whatever best represents what you do. If you have more than one specialty (for example, music and visual art) you can submit pieces that represent both.
For musicians: you do not have to submit pieces that are only klezmer music, but if you have some experience playing klezmer, it’s a good idea to show that in your portfolio. If you’re experienced in other genres, it’s fine to submit recordings showing that expertise as well.
Yes, we welcome returning applicants! Many of our scholarship participants choose to participate more than once. Please note that, in order to welcome new voices in our community, we do try to make sure that there is a balance of new and returning participants each year.
A small committee, usually composed of the Scholarship Coordinator and the programming team, reviews every application carefully. We will send out decisions by the first week of June. If you have questions in the meantime, please reach out to our Scholarship Coordinator, Zoë Aqua, at klezkanada [dot] scholarships [at] gmail [dot] com.
We have 70 scholarship spots available in 2024! However, as there are always more applicants than there are spots available, we keep a waiting list. If there is a cancellation, we offer a spot to a participant from the waiting list.
Once you’ve been accepted into the program, you need to fill out a registration form and pay the registration fee by July 1st. Participants who have not paid the fee by the deadline will forfeit their spot to a participant on the waiting list.