Nina Ball
Baltimore-born, Philly-bred Nina Elizabeth “Lyrispect” Ball is a cultural curator, educator, writer, producer, and award-winning Creative and multi-disciplinary artist with a degree in Film and Africology from Temple University.
Before her role as Deputy Director of the Painted Bride Art Center as Deputy, she served as Director of Programming with the African American Museum in Philadelphia (AAMP) for over 2 years, producing recurring and rigorous festival-level, intimate, and multi-day culturally-rich programming, drawing community and international icons alike such as Spinderella, Dr. Bernice King, Rich Medina, Bobby Seale, Lady Alma, Talib Kweli, and Jamel Shabazz. In her time at AAMP, she also helped to erect a mural highlighting the injustices of incarceration as an extension of slavery through the Mural Arts Program via artist Ernel Martinez and established the first-ever “King Legacy Oratorical Contest” to support graduating seniors transitioning into their next life steps.
In its foundational stages, for nearly 5 years, Nina served in both national and local roles with the Los Angeles-based company “ARRAY”, founded by filmmaker Ava DuVernay, and spent a decade as a creative entrepreneur while holding a sustained leadership role with the Brooklyn-based mentoring and empowerment organization “BLACK GIRLS ROCK!”, founded by DJ Beverly Bond.
Ms. Ball co-produced one of the largest and longest-running open mic and showcase events on the East Coast, “The Harvest Open Mic and Showcase Experience” and has been a featured speaker and commissioned poet for various organizations from the NAACP National Convention, The Trumpet Awards, The Toni Cade Bambara Conference, Bryan Mawr, Spelman College, and Museum to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, highlighting the work of South African Artist, Zanele Muholi.
As a professional artist and author with a strong concentration in Theater from Baltimore School for the Arts, Nina is the 2021 recipient of the Gold “Telly” Award for Voiceover Craft, as well as the “Emerging Visionary” award through “Shea Moisture” and “Good Mirrors, Aint Cheap” and in her early career, the Sonia Sanchez Women’s Studies Award from Temple University. Ms. Ball has also contributed original work to two murals with Amber Art and Design, in South and North Philly, respectively.
In her 25+ year career, Nina has shared stages with the likes of Yasiin Bey (Mos Def), Ursula Rucker, Raheem DeVaughn, Kenny Latimore, Queen Sheba, Poet Laureate Yolanda Wisher, Black Ice, and Saul Williams. Nina has performed around the world, from Goa India to the British Virgin Islands, and has collaborated with almost every major cultural institution in Philadelphia across disciplines including; the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Asian Arts Initiative, African American Museum in Philadelphia, Congreso de Latinos Unidos, Mural Arts Program, Clef Club for Jazz and Performing Arts, Opera Philadelphia, Art Sanctuary, Barnes Foundation, Mann Center for Performing Arts, PHILADANCO!, Philadelphia Ballet Wawa Welcome America, and the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art.
Nina has had the honor to facilitate original curriculum and workshops with students from Kindergarten to Post Graduate and has been an invited host, moderator, panelist, and speaker for the Fulbright Scholars, New York University, the opening plenary for the Council of Jewish American Museums, and “The Afterlives of Liberation” series at Rutgers New Brunswick in 2024.
Nina has served in a recurring role for the National Archives Education Advisory Council, the Pew Cultural Treasures review panel, the Asian Arts Initiative Advisory Council, and as a juror for the Monument Lab 2025 Artist in Residency Program. She has most recently been featured in Love Now Media Magazine’s Winter edition and published in “African Voices”, a special edition in honor of Hip Hop’s 50th anniversary, curated by activist and multi-hyphenate, Kevin Powell.
From community to corporate, Nina is an advocate and amplifier for BIPOC folx, incarcerated people, women, youth, families, and LGBTQ+, and believes in bringing to life the multidimensionality and rich story of all marginalized communities.