NEXT: Emerging Artists Fellowship

Join The Braid’s Storytelling Revolution!

Meet the 2025-2026 NEXT Fellows!

Vanessa Bloom

VANESSA BLOOM a Chinese Jewish American writer, educator, and filmmaker from Orange County, California. She tells stories that celebrate the complexity, diversity, and humor in life as we know it. Her work’s been featured in HeyAlma, The Braid Jewish Theater, NFFTY, South Eastern European Film Festival, Mixed Asian Media Festival, and more. In addition to creative pursuits, Vanessa earned her B.A. and teaching credential in History from California State University, Long Beach. She is currently pursuing an M.A. in War, Diplomacy, and Society from Chapman University and is a Los Angeles Community Leader for The LUNAR Collective, an organization by and for Asian Jews. She is most often found stuck in traffic.

Dillan Cohen

DILLAN COHEN is a writer based in Santa Monica, originally from Boca Raton, Florida. He wrote and produced “Man In Space”, an audio series produced by Realm Media, and is currently developing a new musical, When I Have You (whenihaveyou.com). He’s honored to have had his work previously featured in a Braid show (What a Surprise), and is excited to have the chance to return to The Braid for this Masterclass Fellowship Experience.

Amirose Eisenbach

AMIROSE EISENBACH is an award-winning filmmaker and event producer with experience from Warner Bros., Turner Classic Movies and AMC Independent. In 2015, after losing her mom Jayne to cancer, Amirose started Radiant J. Productions. With equity as their north star, Radiant J. lives at the intersection of storytelling and social impact. Amirose’s feature directorial debut, “Equal Playing Field”, was acquired by BayView Entertainment, won an Impact Doc award, and was honored with a public diplomacy medal by the US Embassy of Australia. Last year, Amirose was a Co-Producer of the Los Angeles production of “Reefer Madness: The Musical”, alongside producers Kristen Bell and Alan Cumming. She also directed and produced a documentary on the property, now in post production. Amirose is currently producing a musical with David Wain, and a docuseries about female skateboarders. She’s happy to be back at The Braid helping to tell important stories.

Kate Mishkin

KATE MISHKIN is a freelance writer and producer from Los Angeles. Her work’s been published in ProPublica, KCRW, and The Guardian, and she’s created and produced podcasts for Sony Music, Bloomberg, and CNN. She’s also the creator and producer of “Shofar, So Good!” a grant-funded independent podcast about her search for Jewish identity, and the founder of Spirit & Sound, a wedding podcasting company. She’s a proud volunteer at the Sundance Film Festival and the YMCA’s Youth & Government program.

Ben Susskind

BEN SUSSKIND is a writer, director, composer, actor, and audio engineer. A recent graduate from UCLA TFT, Ben is a multi-hyphenate artist focusing on storytelling that lies at the intersection of his queer jewish identity. Most recently, his musical Update 42, written and directed by Susskind, was featured in the Hollywood Fringe Festival. Other productions include When the Cows Come Home to Roost, which he wrote and directed with Untitled Theater Company, and The Manager, for which he wrote music and lyrics. Ben is incredibly excited to be furthering his working relationship with The Braid, after having completed the NEXT Fellowship in 2024-2025.

NEXT: Where you can Grow Artistically, Deepen Your Learning in the Jewish Arts, & Forge a Creative Community

Each year we select 6-8 new artists.
who join our exciting, nine-month fellowship.
They learn The Braid’s “salon style” theatre.
Create an unforgettable storytelling show and experience!

The Braid’s NEXT Emerging Artist Program is not just any fellowship; it’s a groundbreaking, PAID opportunity for writers and directors in their 20s, 30s, and 40s to be mentored by industry pros in a unique art form that blends storytelling and theatre. This journey allows you to hone your literary and directing skills while connecting with a community of passionate creatives.

Unlock Your Storytelling Potential With These Program Benefits:

Spot the Perfect Story: Learn to identify captivating stories for the stage and beyond.
Edit & Adapt: Shape material into effective, meaningful stories
Source Material: Discover how to find compelling content that captivates audiences.
Curate Shows: Craft shows with seamless, thoughtful connections between stories.
Text Analysis: Break down stories for maximum impact and emotional engagement.
Rehearsal Techniques: Elevate your material through focused, effective rehearsals.
Actor Coaching: Work one-on-one with actors to draw out their best performances.
Ensemble Building: Collaborate with multiple actors to create a cohesive, dynamic ensemble.
Professional Insights: Gain insider knowledge as you observe professionals create new shows.
Valuable Mentorship: Receive guidance from seasoned artists in developing The Braid’s unique performance style.
Creative Collaboration: Join forces with fellow creative minds.
NEXT Alumni Network: Become part of a thriving community of past Fellows and continue your creative journey.

It is a chance to be part of a transformative experience that will refine your skills, expand your network, and elevate your artistic vision.

****Applications are currently closed****

If you have any questions about applying or the NEXT program in general, please reach out to MJ Adamson: mj@the-braid.org

NEXT has supported 57 paid fellowships who have engaged 245 emerging artists in creating new work.
Click Here to view our alumni.

“The NEXT Fellowship is a rare opportunity — in Los Angeles, an artist gets thrown into the deep end to sink or swim. The nurturing and respect we receive at the Braid allows us to become the best versions of our artist selves.” -Recent Fellow

“It is invaluable as an emerging artist to have programs that guide in the creation of art, not just praise work that has already been completed. In this way, this fellowship allows us to grow and learn in a supportive environment guided by experts in their craft. That each fellow is invited to stretch their skills and to share our strengths with others, makes for a collaborative, enriching environment that is hard to find elsewhere.” -Recent Fellow

Pushing the Boundaries

We work with artists from all mediums to push our storytelling into the digital space! Here is a filmed piece from our 2019 salon, The Way Home…

Where Jewish Artists Collaborate

Hear from our 2018/19 cohort on the AudioNosh Podcast! What happens when you bring together the next generation of Jewish theatre artists under one roof?

Hear what audiences, writers, past and present Fellows, and contributing artists have to say about NEXT!

Here’s more of what Fellows have appreciated:

“NEXT is important for the arts because young artists need to see how art institutions are working and to understand where they came from to be able to move forward and create our own art more effectively.”
-Vicki, 2016-2018 Fellow and Digital Producer Consultant

“…I most appreciated that everyone got to have a voice in this group.”
-Devan, 2017-2018 Fellow

“NEXT has informed me what’s really important about storytelling.”
-Chelsea, 2016-2017 Fellow and Actor in 2018

“I think trying to figure out your identity within your community and being able to incorporate art within that, it helps me to figure out who I am.”
-Daphna, 2016-2018 Fellow and now Artistic Associate of The Braid

“In the arts so often our peers are our competitors, here it was so refreshing they were my collaborators”
-Sarah, 2017-2018 Fellow

This program is generously supported by grants from the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, Los County Department of Arts and Culture, and Erwin Rautenberg Foundation. We are also grateful for generous support from Gail Solo and seed funding from Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles, Erwin Rautenberg Foundation, Dennis Schuman Charitable Foundation, Y & S Nazarian Initiative and NuRoots, programs of The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles.