Sam Pressler is the founder and executive director of the Armed Services Arts Partnership (ASAP), and a 2015 Echoing Green Global Fellow. Under Sam’s leadership, ASAP launched the only stand-up comedy class for veterans in the United States, and the largest writing group for veterans in Virginia. Sam graduated Phi Beta Kappa and Summa Cum Laude from the College of William & Mary (’15), where he was a Ewell Award recipient, McGlennon Scholar, and TEDx Innovative Thinker. His efforts with ASAP have been covered by CNN, ABC News, BBC, Washington Post, NPR, the Military Times, Stars & Stripes, Soldiers Magazine, and Task & Purpose, among others.
For more information:
Website: asapasap.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArmedServicesArtsPartnership/
Twitter: @ASAP_Vets
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/armed-services-arts-partnership
E-mail: sam@asapasap.org
SUMMARY:
Sam Pressler is the founder and executive director of the Armed Services Arts Partnership (ASAP), and a 2015 Echoing Green Global Fellow. Under Sam’s leadership, ASAP launched the only stand-up comedy class for veterans in the United States, and the largest writing group for veterans in Virginia. Sam graduated Phi Beta Kappa and Summa Cum Laude from the College of William & Mary (’15), where he was a Ewell Award recipient, McGlennon Scholar, and TEDx Innovative Thinker. His efforts with ASAP have been covered by CNN, ABC News, BBC, Washington Post, NPR, the Military Times, Stars & Stripes, Soldiers Magazine, and Task & Purpose, among others.
ASAP offers supportive arts programs at no cost to service members, veterans, and military families by partnering with artists, arts organizations, and colleges located in areas with high military and veteran populations.
They offer eight to twelve weeks classes across a variety of art forms. But the main ones that they focus on are stand up comedy, creative writing, visual arts and music.
Comedy Bootcamp is an eight week comedy writing and performing class for veterans, service members, and military family members. At the end of each course, veteran comics deliver a five-minute stand up set to a public audience, and then continue to build on their comedic skills in the Comedy Bootcamp alumni group.
The Veterans Writing Groups (VWG) offer cost-free, monthly creative writing sessions to service members, veterans, and military family members of all writing backgrounds and skill levels. Group members participate in sessions led by professors and professional writers, complete writing prompts, workshop their material, and receive feedback during meetings, share their work with fellow members for critiques between sessions, publish in blogs and journals, compete in writing contests, and attend guest speaker events.
They also have drawing, painting, ceramics, sculpting, and print-making to veterans, service members, and military families. Their first visual arts program in DC is working with clay.
With the help of professional musicians, they also offer 10 weeks of group-based music sessions for veterans, service members, and military families interested in learning to play the guitar or piano.
Individual veterans can increase their confidence, communication skills, artistic skills and expression. And ultimately find some healing benefits through the process among a community of fellow veterans. It helps veterans to better reintegrate into society and civilian life.
Programs are open to all veterans regardless of generation, combat experience or mental health background. It’s open to active duty service members and family members of veterans over the age of eighteen.