News
Jewish Story Partners announces spring 2022 grantees
Jewish Story Partners, a Los Angeles-based non-profit film funding organization, announced its third round of grantees today, with $468,000 in new grants distributed among 16 projects. The films traverse a rich variety of Jewish experiences, among them powerful stories from award-winning filmmakers like Michel Franco, Tia Lessin and Carl Deal, Julia Mintz, Pierre Sauvage, Jason Osder, William Youmans, and Joshua Zeman.
Oakland Museum of California receives nation’s highest museum and library honor
OMCA is one of six organizations to win the 2022 National Medal for Museum and Library Service. It is the nation’s highest honor given to museums and libraries that make significant and exceptional contributions to their communities. The award will be presented at a ceremony in July in Washington, DC.
Lunchtime Sessions at OMCA bring free fun every Saturday in March
OMCA is welcoming Spring at its newly-renovated outdoor gardens. Lunchtime Sessions will feature dance, music, and children’s literature events every Saturday in March at noon. Grab a picnic blanket and bring your lunch, or stop by the museum cafe or Off the Grid Food Trucks, and enjoy a live outdoor performance. For more details on upcoming programs, visit museumca.org.
SFMOMA announces new director
Exactly a year after longtime director Neal Benezra stepped down from his role, SFMOMA has named Christopher Bedford, formerly of the Baltimore Museum of Art, as its new director.
After pandemic delays, Freestyle Love Supreme opens at ACT to rave reviews
Freestyle Love Supreme, the unscripted musical from Lin-Manuel Miranda, began its national tour at ACT in San Francisco last week. Read more about the show below:
SF Opera announces its centennial 2022-23 season
SF Opera will celebrate its centennial with a packed season of eight productions for 2022-23. The first operatic offering will be the world premiere of “Antony and Cleopatra,” an opera by Berkeley composer John Adams based on the play by Shakespeare. The full slate of productions can be found in the press release below.
SF Ballet names Tamara Rojo as new artistic director
Tamara Rojo has been announced as the next artistic director of the San Francisco Ballet. Rojo joins the organization from the English National Ballet, and will be the first woman ever to lead SF Ballet.
Willesden Lane Project: The power of music in education
The Jewish Journal published a spotlight of The Willesden Project, Koret’s global initiative with USC Shoah Foundation and Hold On To Your Music. Read the full article to learn more about Koret’s Holocaust education work.
SF Opera’s “Così fan tutte” opens to rave reviews
Delayed by a year due to the pandemic, Mozart’s romantic comedy is set in the opulent 1930’s and is embellished by Henrik Nánási’s conducting, which is “buoyant, robust, elegant, and lithe,” according to the SF Chronicle.

Stanford Live: Collaborating and building community in the performing arts
Supporting arts organizations and cultural institutions has always been part of the Koret Foundation’s commitment to strengthening the Bay Area community. The pandemic put a hard stop to live performances for over a year, but also inspired innovation and collaboration. We recently caught up with Chris Lorway, executive director of Stanford Live, a longtime Koret […]
SF Opera curtain rises at the War Memorial Opera House on August 21
The San Francisco Opera is opening again at the War Memorial Opera House on August 21. This season is Eun Sun Kim’s debut as the new Music Director, and will feature three blockbuster operas scheduled, with a gradual opening and some hybrid virtual performances. Proof of vaccination is required for entry.
Asian Art Museum opens its first exhibit in the new transformed space
teamLab: Continuity is the first exhibition in the museum’s new Akiko Yamazaki and Jerry Yang Pavilion. The fully immersive interactive and sensory experience is rooted in traditional Japanese art.