Highwire Improv Launches Free Improv Workshops Across Baltimore

Baltimore, MD (Dec. 19, 2023)  — Highwire Improv, a non-profit theater committed to fostering creativity and community engagement through improv, is thrilled to announce a series of free improv workshops across numerous Baltimore neighborhoods in 2024. This initiative is made possible by a generous grant from the Maryland State Arts Council (msac.org).

Designed to reach Baltimore residents in various neighborhoods, these free workshops promote inclusivity and access to the arts. Participants will meet new people, engage in fun interactive exercises led by experienced instructors, and play popular improv games, fostering a sense of connection, creativity and spontaneity.

Highwire Improv launched these workshops last year as a paid offering, complementing their multi-week courses and improv shows, but saw significant demand for a free option based on the use of scholarships.  “Over 55% of workshop participants this year opted to use our no-application scholarship, which was a clear signal that there is demand in the Baltimore community to try improv!  We want everyone to have the opportunity to be exposed to these experiences and skills, so we set to work to find a way to make the program completely free,” said Barry Wright, co-founder and board President.

In October, Highwire Improv received a Maryland State Arts Council Creativity Grant, and decided to use the funds to pay workshop instructors and space rental fees across the city.  “We’re proud to pay teaching artists competitive rates, so the MSAC grant is crucial to improving accessibility without asking creatives to work for exposure or experience,” added Wright. 

Four workshops are already scheduled, in the Abell, Hamilton, and Riverside neighborhoods.

• Jan. 9th, 7pm: Unlock Your Creativity Through Improv at Homewood Friends Meeting
• Jan. 18th, 7pm: Embrace Spontaneity: An Intro to Improv at Riverside Third Space
• Jan. 27th, 2pm: Discover the Magic of Improv at Enoch Pratt Free Library – Hamilton Branch
• Feb. 13th, 7pm: Charm City Connections: An Improv Welcome to Baltimore at Homewood Friends Meeting.

The improv-curious can find information about scheduled and upcoming workshops at a special registration page specific to the program.  Neighborhood associations or community organizations interested in hosting a workshop in their neighborhood are encouraged to contact Highwire at highwireimprov@gmail.com

About Highwire Improv:

Highwire Improv is a non-profit arts organization whose mission is to steward a community of artists committed to growth, collaboration, joy, and justice — in Baltimore and around the world — through improvisational theater.  Founded in 2020, they have produced over 1000 digital improv shows and have delivered hundreds of in-person shows, classes, and workshops all across Baltimore.

For more information, visit highwireimprov.com or on social media at Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube.

About the Maryland State Arts Council:

Founded in 1967, The Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC) is an agency of the State of Maryland’s Department of Commerce that plays an essential role, ensuring every person has access to the transformative power of the arts.

MSAC advances the arts in our state by providing leadership that champions creative expression, diverse programming, equitable access, lifelong learning, and the arts as a celebrated contributor to the quality of life for all the people of Maryland.

For more information, msac.org.