Lifetime Arts Trainer, Vinny Mraz, has been selected to join the fifth international cohort of National Arts Strategies (NAS) 2019 Creative Community Fellows for his crucial work in creating stronger and more inclusive communities through arts and culture.
In addition to being a trainer for Lifetime Arts, Vinny is a playwright, teaching artist and theater maker in New York City. For the past four years, he has been teaching an improv and comedy program to NYC’s senior population. Part of this time, he taught as a SU-CASA artist in Lincoln Square and Harlem Neighborhoods. Vinny showcased this work in his application and was thrilled to be one of twenty five Fellows selected to join a network of nearly 200 leaders working to drive positive change in our world.
“With older populations, I think comedy can be a great tool to bring people together and to form new communities through laughter,” said Vinny. “I’m excited for the opportunity to learn from a dedicated cohort of other artists, makers and doers who are helping to make their own communities better through the arts.”
Over the next six months, this cohort of Fellows will work with NAS, faculty partners, mentors and each other to test, adapt and build on their work. Together, they will embrace their authentic leadership capacities, examine their projects’ partnerships and strategies and deepen their connections to their communities while creating a vibrant, international network enriched by their unique experiences and expertise.
“I’m really looking forward to creating new relationships and challenging myself to learn and grow from others in the field,” said Vinny. “I know this experience will only serve to make me a stronger teacher and artist and I feel incredibly humbled to be a part of this program!”
Introduced in 2014, The Creative Community Fellows is generously funded by The Kresge Foundation, with backing for regional participants by the Australia Council for the Arts, the Bush Foundation and the Robert W. Deutsch Foundation. For more information, please visit the NAS Creative Community Fellows announcement.
Art Forms
Performing Arts, Performing Arts > Comedy