AAMPA Griot Lab

Introducing the AAMPA Griot Lab

The word griot means “a member of a hereditary caste in African culture whose function is to keep an oral history of the tribe or village and to entertain with stories, poems, songs, dances, etc.” LAB is an abbreviation for laboratory which is a building or designated area where scientific experiments, analyses, and research are carried out. So, like its origin words, the AAMPA GRIOT LAB is a place where African American masters (griots) will teach, examine, and present works that honor the history of black performance art to continue our legacy of artistic excellence and pay tribute to our countless contributions to landscape of American culture and arts.

2022-23 SPONSORS: BLACK SEED FOUNDATIONPAUL M. ANGELL FAMILY FOUNDATION, AFRICAN AMERICAN LEGACIES, MACARTHUR FOUNDATION, THE GAYLORD AND DOROTHY DONNELLEY FOUNDATION
2022-23 SPONSORED IN PART BY: GLP PRODUCTIONS, EXPONENT MEDIA GROUP

CONGRATULATIONS BACKSTAGE PRODUCTION CLASS FROM ARTS AND PUBLIC LIFE

YOU ARE OUR 2023 AAMPA FELLOWS!

They received an intimate television production workshop that ended with them co producing, writing and anchoring the WGN morning talk show PEOPLE TO PEOPLE hosted by WGN anchor Micah Materre with WGN producer Tyra Martin.

ROBERT TOWNSEND MASTER CLASS

JOIN THE AAMPA GRIOT LAB FOR A MASTER CLASS WITH ROBERT TOWNSEND Award-winning actor, director, comedian and writer Robert Townsend will lend his expertise to host Script To Screen, a course on best practices for producing a successful movie from a screenplay.

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