With support from the California Arts Council, Get Lit–Words Ignite will implement our Creative Lab in 2025. The Lab will provide under-resourced southern California youth ages 12-19 with after-school training in a wide variety of creative fields including filmmaking, screenwriting, music production, and spoken word performance. Students will network with and be mentored by our professional partners in the entertainment industry, preparing our youth for success in a competitive job market. In addition to technical and artistic skill development, the Lab includes workforce preparation such as resume and portfolio development, media literacy, visual presentations/pitching, communication and interview skills, and financial literacy; and development of “soft” skills such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving, adaptability, and professionalism.
Our PROGRAMS span from classroom to career including training in high-demand fields, leading to life-changing creative opportunities, internships, scholarships, and jobs. They include: In-School Program: Our robust curricula for the classroom engage students in the deep study and performance of classic/contemporary poems combined with creation and performance of original response poems. The program includes UNI(VERSE), our pioneering interactive literacy and poetry platform for the classroom; After-School: Free weekly poetry, film, and music production workshops; open mics; Classic Slam: One of the largest teen poetry competitions in the U.S.; Get Lit Players: Award-winning teen performance troupe; and our Creative Suite: the Film Lab, a semester-long program for high-schoolers with weekly workshops, Creative Camp, summer workshops in screenwriting, filmmaking, music production, and performance, and our Creative Career Lab that offers young adults job training in creative fields culminating in full-time job placement.

