Artis
Artis is a New York-based nonprofit organization that supports contemporary artists from Israel whose work addresses aesthetic, social, and political questions that inspire reflection and debate
Founded in 2004 with the mission of amplifying the international recognition of contemporary artists from Israel, Artis provides grant support for exhibitions, residencies, and acquisitions, as well as curatorial research and travel, creating opportunities for dialog and cultural exchange. Artis is committed to a conversation about contemporary art from Israel that places it within an international art context, supporting a global discourse that is open, questioning, and nuanced.
In 2019, Artis enlisted Epigraph to conduct a comprehensive audit of the organization’s messaging as it was undergoing an executive leadership transition and entering its fifteenth year of programming.
Through an in-depth discovery process that involved a series of interviews with five Artis stakeholders, including its founder, Epigraph produced a foundational narrative that recounted the organization’s origins, explored the evolution of its mission and strategic priorities, and provided a fresh framework for its commitment to artists and art institutions, as well as its engagement in complex, nuanced, and sometimes challenging conversations about art and culture.
“This narrative provided me with an opportunity to reflect on and recognize the diversity of voices and experiences within the organization, as well as gain insight into the full scope of its history,” said Artis Executive Director Hillit Zwick.
“Given the day-to-day work, it would have taken me a number of years to learn the stories and experiences that Joel assembled so proficiently in the months we worked together. This, in turn, provided the organization with a strong scaffolding for the creation of a three- to five-year strategic plan.”
“Since working with Joel,” Zwick added, “I have used parts of the narrative he created to introduce new stakeholders to the organization in a clear and efficient way; relied on it to articulate and present who we are as an organization on our new website; and consulted it when encountering questions or organizational challenges that may have been addressed in different ways in the past.”