The Stroum Jewish Community Center (SJCC) recently announced the line-up for its 2015-16 Cultural Arts season, inviting people of all ages and backgrounds to come together through the arts and build connections with Jewish life and culture. This year’s multi-faceted lineup features something for everyone, including Emmy-nominated performing artists, award-winning chefs, filmmakers, authors, family-friendly films, tastemakers, and more.

In its inaugural 2014-2015 season, SJCC delivered an average of three cultural arts programs per month, including four sold-out concerts, casting a spotlight on local and international artists, from Seattle rapper Nissim to Les Yeux Noirs, a Paris-based band led by two violin-playing brothers. The 2015-2016 season will deliver an even wider scope of talent, adding new series to draw arts lovers from across the region. Global Sound performances will encompass music genres from around the world, from classical and folk to jazz and bluegrass.

A culinary arts series, “Fable to Table,” will feature several food-inspired film screenings and cooking classes, including a special appearance from nationally-acclaimed cookbook author and food columnist Joan Nathan. An inductee to the James Beard Foundation’s Who’s Who in American Food and Beverage, Nathan won the prestigious Grande Dame award, which recognizes professional achievements in the food industry. Previous recipients include Julia Child, Marcella Hazan, and Alice Waters.

Award-winning vocalist Kathy Kosins will perform songs from her album “To The Ladies of Cool,” a dedication to the West Coast school of artists like June Christy, Chris Connor, Julie London, and Anita O’Day. Kosins, who also maintains a second career as a painter, will take aspiring artists through a musical paintingworkshop – Jazz Improvisation on Canvas – the following day.

Those seeking intellectual inspiration have been able to enjoy thought-provoking discussions on various topics and events from guest speakers like Maestro GerardSchwarz, Seattle Symphony’s Conductor Laureate, discussing his project and public-television series, “The All-Star Orchestra.” And this year is no exception.Legendary travel expert and Washington-native Rick Steves will take us on a virtual journey, sharing firsthand experiences and a slideshow of his recent trip through the Holy Land. Steves, a recipient of the Lowell Thomas Award Gold Medal for his public radio show, has authored fifty guidebooks to Europe and sold more than10 million copies worldwide.

Notable stand-up comedian Gary Gulman and Emmy-award winning TV writer and producer Judy Gold will also grace the stage in the SJCC’s beautifully renovated, ADA-compliant auditorium which was unveiled last year. With seating for 358, the J’s performing arts space features assistive hearing technology, DolbyDigital surround sound, and a fully digitized high-definition cinema projector, providing a welcoming place for the greater Seattle community to come together through cultural connection. Gulman, who competed as a finalist on the NBC reality-talent show Last Comic Standing, has appeared on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” and “The Late Show with David Letterman,” while Gold has guest-starred on popular TV shows, including “30 Rock,” and “Sex and the City,” and won two Emmy Awards for her work on “The Rosie O’Donnell Show.”

In the spring, the J will present the popular, annual Seattle Jewish Film Festival, a multi-day event featuring over 25 films, guest speakers, filmmakers, and social events that bring people together to inspire learning and new perspectives by showcasing the vitality and diversity of Jewish cinema.

Family-friendly programs on the 2015-16 slate include 5th Avenue Adventure Musical Theater Touring  Company’s original play, “The Mercer Girls,” based on the true story of eleven girls who were recruited to Seattle to be teachers in 1864 by the first president of the University of Washington, Asa S. Mercer. Rounding out the season is the J’s annual Father’s Day event – a screening of “The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg,” following a bagel brunch for dads, granddads, sports fans, and families.

Tickets for the 2015-16 SJCC Cultural Arts season are now on sale at www.SJCC.org/cultural-arts or by calling the box office at 206.388.0833. SJCC membersenjoy discounted ticket prices – which range from $5-50 – as well as discounted rates on other programs, events, classes, and film festival passes.

For the full 2015-2016 SJCC Cultural Arts line-up, please visit: www.SJCC.org/cultural-arts.