About ish
ish is a Cincinnati-based community engagement organization centering Jewish arts and cultural traditions as a platform for connecting artists with communities to create new experiences, inspire pride in Jewish and intersectional identity, and foster appreciation of Cincinnati history and Jewish peoplehood. ish is a disruptor, adapter, and instigator of social-cultural change. We are a movement for creative expression, inclusion, human-centered design, and cross-cultural collaboration, to strengthen community connections and improve our quality of life. Whether Jewish, Jew-ish, (or just here for the matzah!), ish brings people together in artistic and cultural exploration, and through that exploration, builds understanding.
WHY ish?
Founded in 2016 as Cincinnati's Jewish arts and culture Festival, ish explores the wide spectrum of intersectional identity, and presents a dynamic selection of artists, vendors, works of art, food, music and cultural activities from traditional to contemporary, religious to secular, Jew-ish to non-Jewish. Through year-round arts and cultural experiences, ish celebrates Jewish heritage outwardly with pride, connecting local artists with community members and curious culture-seekers from around the region, country and globe. By highlighting diverse voices, identities, traditions, and arts disciplines, ish seeks to authentically represent the complexity of Cincinnati’s changing Jewish demographic.
Given Cincinnati's history as the oldest Jewish community west of the Allegheny Mountains and home to a thriving arts community, we believe that Cincinnati presents an ideal platform to celebrate and transform art and Jewish culture, forming a powerful tool to break down barriers, express our authentic identities outwardly with pride, forge connections, and deepen our understanding of what it means to be human.
WHY ish?
Founded in 2016 as Cincinnati's Jewish arts and culture Festival, ish explores the wide spectrum of intersectional identity, and presents a dynamic selection of artists, vendors, works of art, food, music and cultural activities from traditional to contemporary, religious to secular, Jew-ish to non-Jewish. Through year-round arts and cultural experiences, ish celebrates Jewish heritage outwardly with pride, connecting local artists with community members and curious culture-seekers from around the region, country and globe. By highlighting diverse voices, identities, traditions, and arts disciplines, ish seeks to authentically represent the complexity of Cincinnati’s changing Jewish demographic.
Given Cincinnati's history as the oldest Jewish community west of the Allegheny Mountains and home to a thriving arts community, we believe that Cincinnati presents an ideal platform to celebrate and transform art and Jewish culture, forming a powerful tool to break down barriers, express our authentic identities outwardly with pride, forge connections, and deepen our understanding of what it means to be human.
ish Festival is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization. EIN-83-2433747. Donations are tax deductible.