Mat Schwarzman
Schwarzman has been a practitioner, instructor, student and writer in the field of community-based arts since 1985. He is Founder of the Crossroads Project for Art, Learning and Community and directs the Creative Forces Youth Educational Theater Corps, which employs public high school students as peer educators and leaders in the rebuilding of New Orleans' educational support system.
Mat studied theater with John O'Neal, John Malpede, Fred Curchack, Corey Fischer and others, and has been a member of ensembles in Philadelphia, San Francisco and New Orleans. He has also helped establish arts education programs for teens, college students and adults across the country. He holds a doctorate in Learning & Change in Human Systems from the California Institute for Integral Studies.
Beginner's Guide to Community-Based Arts is his first book. He lives in the best place on earth (New Orleans) with the best woman (Mimi Zarsky) and canine (Lundi Gras).