Founded in 2004, the Conney Project on Jewish Arts is an initiative of the Mosse/Weinstein Center for Jewish Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Made possible by the generosity of Mildred and Marv Conney, the Conney Project supports Jewish arts and cultural programming, and encourages new narratives of Jewish identity in the arts, including literature, music, and the visual and performing arts.
Under the directorship of Professor Douglas Rosenberg from 2004-2022, the Conney Project raised awareness of the contributions of Jewish artists across disciplines, and encouraged new scholarship and production in the field by hosting eight bi-annual themed conferences.
Moving forward, under the current directorship of Professor Erika Meitner, the Conney Project plans to integrate its Jewish arts and cultural initiatives into wider arts communities, draw in robust and diverse audiences, and make Madison a destination for the Jewish arts by sponsoring 1-2 events per year across artistic disciplines that are free and open to the public.
The Conney Project aims to speak to people across communities, and celebrate what’s special about Jewish arts and culture, while creating visionary programming—events, exhibits, readings, and performances—that gathers people together around Jewish culture to meet our current moment with empathy, nuance, and the potential for change.
2023-2024 Events
This past April, the Conney Project brought director/producer Joey Soloway back to campus for a three-day visit. In addition to the two public events advertised in the poster (left), Soloway met with students over lunch and visited Jewish Studies and Comm Arts classes to share their experiences in writing, producing, and directing.