Be Part of Something Powerful: AAC’s 2025 Convening Is Headed to Los Angeles
The Arts Administrators of Color Network (AAC) is bringing its beloved Annual Convening to Los Angeles, November 8–9, 2025—marking its first time on the West Coast!
Under the theme Rooted in Care, Rising in Joy, this two-day convening will bring together hundreds of BIPOC artists, cultural workers, and arts administrators for deep connection, creative leadership, and bold reimagination.
Expect workshops, site visits, affinity spaces, and joyful celebrations across iconic LA venues. This is one of our most affirming, community-rooted spaces in the field, intentionally designed by and for BIPOC leaders in the arts.
As part of the convening, Mary C. Parker will deliver a workshop during one of the site visits for Nate Holden Performing Arts Center (Ebony Repertory Theatre).
About the Workshop
Yes, Let’s! An Introduction to Improv Comedy — Mary C. Parker (she/her), Education Lead at Bandit Theater
This workshop is based on the teachings of improv comedy with a focus on being an affinity play space for BIPOC folks. Improv can provide joy through laughter. We care for ourselves by finding levity in the work we do and improv comedy is one way to add joy back into our lives.
In this session you will learn and play improv comedy games. Improv is an art form where everything is made up on the spot. There are no scripts or lines. It's an opportunity to lean into our creativity and build made up worlds together and just play.
As people of color at times we need permission to return to our own agency to just be. We are holding on and often masking for survival that we forget to have balance in caring for ourselves and play can provide that. Improv comedy is one tool we can leverage to provide joy again and showing up without pretext and just play.
In this session you’ll learn about collaboration, decision-making, identity, and storytelling. The outcomes are to have fun, collaborate and work together, learn more about the improv principle, “yes, and,” and enhance listening skills.
🎟️ Registration offered at multiple tiers for accessibility.
➡️ Learn more + register: aacnetwork.org/annual-convening