Young Chicago Authors is excited to offer the following programs in 2025-2026!
Chicago All-City Open Mic: A quarterly event presented by YCA and the Chicago Public Library, amplified by Kuumba Lynx, the John Walt Foundation, and studioSHAPES. Each open mic features a writing workshop and performances of original work. Chicagoland creatives ages 13–24 are invited to participate and win prizes—everyone is welcome to attend. Launches October 2025.
The Artist Blueprint: A masterclass workshop series connecting established artists with writers, educators, and the YCA community. Workshops and panels cover multidisciplinary topics, poetry, fiction, music, visual art, performance skills, artistic careers, and more. Open to youth ages 16–24, and the educators and community members who support them. Begins September 2025.
Rooted & Radical Youth Poetry Festival: Formerly Louder Than A Bomb, this six-week literary festival engages youth, educators, and schools in the power of poetry. Poets from across Chicagoland perform original work at open mics, preliminary bouts, semi-finals, and a final showcase at the Ramova Theater. Registration opens in November 2025. Festival runs February 7 – March 15, 2026.
Chicago Youth Poet Laureate Competition: Part of the National Youth Poet Laureate initiative of Urban Word, YCA coordinates the Chicago Youth Poet Laureate program to identify powerful young poets with histories of artistic success, community engagement, social justice, and leadership. The selected Laureate will elevate their craft and voice through opportunities across the following year. Open to youth ages 13–18 in Chicago and surrounding suburbs. Applications open January 2026.
Education Partnerships: YCA’s Education Partnerships bring poetry into more than 50 schools across the city. In partnership with YCA teaching artists, students are exposed to a variety of literary arts content and performance opportunities to support them in their creative endeavors. YCA’s education partnerships focus on meeting the needs of our teacher partners, and may include participation in the Rooted and Radical Youth Poetry Festival, residencies and workshops within the classroom or after school programming, school-based open mics, and other supports.