LABA: A Laboratory for Jewish Culture

LABA: A Laboratory for Jewish Culture uses classic Jewish texts to inspire the creation of art, dialogue, and study.

Part of LABA is the House of Study, a NYC-based artist fellowship program in which a mix of culture-makers come together to study classic Jewish texts in a non-religious, open-minded setting.

The fellows use the study to inspire work, which is featured in our series of LABAlive events and performances. Every year LABA focuses its study around a theme. Previous themes include PARADISE, EROS, BLUEPRINT, EAT, MOTHER, TIME, BEAUTY, OTHER, LIFE + DEATH, HUMOR, CHOSEN, BROKEN, and TABOO. This year’s theme is NIGHT.

LABA’s goal is to present Judaism’s rich literary and intellectual tradition in a free and creative setting, so that these stories and ideas spark new art. The creative output from our House of Study pushes the boundaries of what Jewish art can be and what Jewish texts can teach.

In 2014, LABA was named one of the most innovative Jewish organizations in North America by the Slingshot Guide, and also received a grant from the National Endowment of the Arts.

In 2020, LABA was one of five organizations to receive inaugural funding from the newly created CANVAS, working to support the 21st Century Jewish Cultural Renaissance.

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CURRENT THEME
The LABA theme for 2024 is NIGHT.

In the Jewish imagination, NIGHT is both a matter of time and a state of mind.

This year’s LABA fellows will explore the theme of NIGHT in the ancient Jewish canon and in the life of culture-makers. They will look at how and why NIGHT anchors, liberates, and terrifies us. Through a study of evocative stories from the Torah, Talmud, Mishnah, Zohar, and more, they will examine  what night does to the mind and soul, and encounter epic nights in Jewish cultural history.

LABA Website

Discover all that LABA has to offer on their main website. 

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The 2024 LABA Fellows

Get to know the latest LABA New York fellows, as they explore the theme of NIGHT.

Meet the Fellows

LABA Newsroom

Read the latest press releases and updates from LABA New York.

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Supporters of 14Y Arts + Culture + LABA

CANVAS—a collaborative giving fund dedicated to Jewish arts and culture.

14Y Arts + Culture programs are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

Supporters of 14Y Arts + Culture + LABA