Check out Lake Erie Ink’s Summer Ink Online Writing Camps! You’ll find old favorites (like Comics &’Zines and Script Writing) and new inspirations (like Living Room Toy Theatre, Rollercoaster Poetry, Write about Cleveland, and Improvised Storytelling). Also new: Creative Expression for K-2 Kids and their Caregivers. Our camps meet once or twice a week for 3 or 6 weeks for 1-1.5 hours at a time. Our teaching artists will delight your children with fun online activities that provide time for social engagement as well as creative exploration. Evening Ink continues with a Totally Far Out collection of workshops designed to bring youth together to create.
In the midst of all the craziness of these past two months, we have managed to get our 5th anthology of Teen Writers, The Fundamental Elements, edited and published and it looks great!
The foreword this year is written by Phil Metres who will also speak at our awesome Launch Party via Zoom on Thursday, June 25th 7:00PM. Stay tuned in to our website and social media for more information Next Monday!
We are thrilled that local poet and scholar, Philip Metres contributed to this year’s anthology by writing the foreword. Phil has written ten books, most recently, Shrapnel Maps (Copper Canyon 2020). Awarded the Guggenheim Fellowship, the Lannan Fellowship, three Arab American Book Awards, and two fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, he is professor of English and director of the Peace, Justice, and Human Rights program at John Carroll University. Phil will join the teen writers at the Book launch on June 25th!
Books will be for sale at Mac’s Backs, Loganberry Books and Appletree Books, as well as directly through Lake Erie Ink. They are $12 (or 2 for $20!) Click here to pay by donation (when you do pay, make sure to share your mailing address with us so we can send you your copy of the book.) We are grateful for the support of the Treu-Mart Fund and the Nord Family Foundation for this project.
************PRE REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED. LIMITED SPACE FOR WALK INS AVAILABLE. SPOTS ARE AVAILABLE FOR THE TEEN AFTERPARTY*************
Comic Making Workshops
9:30AM-3PM for Ages 8-18
$10 admission– Scholarships available
Learn how to make comics from professional comic creators during four hours of workshops on drawing, character design, and more. Registration & orientation begins at 9:30AM. Workshops begin at 10:00AM. Participants choose from a menu of workshops from 10-12 and 1-3PM. They do not have to attend the full day. We serve lunch, draw prizes and provide time for shopping in the artist alley during the noon hour.
New for Teens! Make Change with Comics
5-8PM for Grades 6-12
$10 (separate) admission– Scholarships available
Make Change with Comics from 5-8 pm is a TEENS ONLY (meaning 6th-12th grade) program which includes:
Panel on making “change” with comics (social change and $$$) featuring Terri Libenson, John G, Kelly O’Grady, Sequoia Bostick, & other artists
Cosplay Fashion Show
Snack & Sketch with guest artists (light dinner provided)
‘Zine exchange–Bring 5-10 copies of your own art (comics, ‘zines, mini comic books) to swap with other teen artists!
For those registered for both the all day and teenevents contact us for more information about activities between sessions
Lake Erie Ink’s Kids’ Comic Con will be held at the Coventry Peace Campus 2843 Washington Blvd. in Cleveland Heights.
Lake Erie Ink believes in ensuring everyone has a chance to be a part of our programming. If you need additional accommodation to participate, please contact us, call us at 216-320-4757, or email us at staff@lakeerieink.org.
For 10 Tuesdays since October, a group of teens from across the greater Cleveland area have gathered at cleveland.com for a teen journalism program. Write About Now provides an opportunity for teens to learn about and engage with journalism, while working with journalists to publish original work on cleveland.com.
Applications for the next session of Write About Now, starting January 21, ARE OPEN! All teens in grades 8-12 are encouraged to apply. Visit https://lakeerieink.org/write-about-now/ to apply or for more information.
Registration for Lake Erie Ink’s 2017 creative expression summer camps is now open.
At Lake Erie Ink’s week-long summer camps, youth (entering grades 2-12) explore their imaginations, develop writing skills, and collaborate with peers. Summer camps start June 12th and dig deep into fun writing genres, including comics, ‘zines, plays, puppets, and more, giving youth the chance to create writing and art that builds literacy skills and reminds kids of their own powers of self-expression. Registration for 2017 summer camps is now open.
Summer Ink where you…Express yourself in creative ways. Make new friends and collaborate on cool projects. Create, publish, and perform.
Registration for Summer Ink Camps opens March 1st. Sign up online or by calling 216-320-4757.
Our camp day runs from 1:00-5:00 pm. Snacks provided. Each day includes outdoor play and games in addition to creative expression activities.
$125 a session (unless noted otherwise). Scholarships and sibling discounts are available.
Summer Ink (all camps are for students in grades 3-8 unless noted otherwise)
Session 1, June 20 – 24 Comics
Session 2, June 26 – July 1 Puppetry (grades 1-8)
Session 3, July 6 – 8 A Celebration of Stories (all ages) – Come 1, 2, or all 3 days to explore different forms of storytelling, $25/day or $75 for all three days.
Wednesday – Puppetry, Thursday – Dance, Friday – Oral Storytelling From Different Cultures and Traditions
Session 4, July 11 – 15 Community Connections: Recording our Adventures in the Community
Session 5, July 18 – 22 ‘Zines and Comics Camp!
Session 6, July 25 – 29 Playwriting
Session 7, July 25 – 29 Paint Your Story: Explore the Intersection of Art and Writing (grades 5-8)
Summer Ink for Teens in Grades 6-12*
*There is no cost for these two teen camps thanks to the generous support of the Nord Family Foundation and the Callahan Foundation.
June 27 – July 1
Hip Hop Narratives with Dee Jay Doc
August 1 – 5 Explore and Express: Travel Across our City, Then Write About it!
Ongoing drop-in writing workshops and Open Mics will take place throughout the summer.
As an integral part of its mission, Lake Erie Ink works closely with teachers and schools to enhance writing instruction and help kids build literacy skills through creative projects. This year, Cynthia Larsen, co-founder and Curriculum Director, visited classrooms at Mary McLeod Bethune School throughout the 2015-2016 school year to facilitate professional development for teachers and writing workshops for students. Together, they explored a range of topics, including figurative and sensory language, characterization, point of view, poetry, and more.
The 3rd through 5th graders started the year working on narrative fiction, learning the difference between nonfiction and fiction and between realistic and unrealistic fiction. The culminating project was a collection of “Impossible Stories” of speculative or “unrealistic” fiction.
The 6th through 8th graders worked on personal narrative during the fall and then on a variety of projects in the winter that focused on responding to literature and writing arguments or claims. Among these, they created “Pro Con Comics” where they explored their reasons for asserting a claim and anticipated the opposition’s argument. The comics were then used to develop an argumentative letter.
In the spring, the students honed their descriptive writing skills by embracing poetry and collaborative writing.
Lake Erie Ink’s in-school programs, such as this, use creative writing to address the state’s education standards and motivate students to write more and better and build skills, confidence, enthusiasm and facility at writing. “Through these activities, scholars were not only able to strengthen their writing skills but learn to take pride and ownership in their work,” said Mary Bethune principal Melanie Nakonachny.
Check out some of the Mary McLeod Bethune students amazing work here.
Calling all teenagers! Come meet and be inspired by local authors and explore the art of writing in diverse genres at this Weekend Ink workshop on Saturday, May 7 from 12:30 – 3:30pm. The afternoon will include a panel discussion and breakout sessions featuring personal narrative writer Charlotte Morgan, realistic fiction author Jeanne Dutton, and journalist Nikki Delamotte. This event is open to teens in grades 6-12.
Register online or by calling 216-320-4757. $5 at the door with scholarships available.
This program is supported in part by the residents of Cuyahoga County through a public grant from Cuyahoga Arts & Culture.
LEI is gearing up for our 2013 fall programs which begin Monday, September 9th.
Open House and Registration Nights are Aug. 29 from 4-6 pm and Sept. 3 from 4:30-6:30 pm. Everyone is welcome to come find out about the Ink Spot, our after school program for 4th-8th graders, Evening Ink teen workshops and open mic nights, weekend workshops and our new membership plan. We strongly recommend that all families interested in the Ink Spot after school program attend one of our Fall Open Houses.
New Volunteer Orientation is scheduled for September 24th from 6:30-8 pm. Volunteers must be between 15 and 150 years old.
Teen Open Mic nights resume Sept. 21 and Teen Evening Ink Workshops start September 24th at 7 pm.
Find out about our fall programming and register for the Ink Spot and other workshops at Lake Erie Ink’s Fall Open House on Sept. 5, 6, and 19th, from 4-6:30 pm. We are located in the Coventry School Building in Cleveland Heights, 2843 Washington Boulevard. If you are unable to attend an open house, call 216-320-4757 or email clarsen@lakeerieink.org.
Poetry Open Mic: Calling all teens/young adultswith a poem or story to share – Bring a poem, song or story to share or write one while you attend!
Teen Writers’ Symposium: So you want to be a writer? Teen Writers’ Symposium welcomes young writers grades 6th-12th. The immersive event will serve as an exciting platform to share ideas, learn from established authors, and nurture your craftsmanship.
Facing The College: The college essay helps students stand out as they tell their unique story in response to the Common App and other prompts. Write an essay featuring YOU. Learn strategies for brainstorming essay topics, review the Common App, and start your first essay. Receive feedback and coaching to finish, revise and polish your essay.
Have You Heard: Teen Podcasting Workshop: Calling all podcasters and audio storytellers! In this intensive summer workshop just for teens, you’ll report, write and produce a short nonfiction audio story about your life or community… in just four weeks! You’ll learn how to gather sound, do interviews, pull tape, write scripts… and get an awesome audio story together. Finished pieces will be shared in a special exhibition at the close of the workshop.
This summer we are inviting kids of all ages who have are looking to express their creativity, LEI is offering summer camps, evening ink, and weekend ink. Scholarships are available for all programs. Click here for the full summer schedule and program descriptions!
To register for summer programs, click the button below.
Lake Erie Ink’s unique annual fundraiser is back! This year’s Giant Bananagrams tournament will be held at Cleveland Heights High School on March 23rd.
Giant Bananagrams brings together teams who compete for prizes by being the first to turn their letters into words on a 30x30ft board. The event also involves a raffle and haiku contest.
Join us for this afternoon of fun and games! Click here to view updated information on this year’s event.
Lake Erie Ink is looking for volunteers and board members! Volunteers at LEI have the opportunity to work with youth in a range of creative programs on weekends, after school, and during the day. We are always seeking dedicated individuals who want to make an impact in their community.
Check out the recent story about Chris Garson, a long time volunteer, in the Heights Observer:
Interested in working with LEI? Contact cbailey@lakeerierink.org to get started as a volunteer, or click here for more information about becoming a board member.
Work with our skilled teaching artists to to master the common app essay and create powerful personal narrative. Hosted Mondays and Saturdays at Lake Erie Ink for Grades 10th-12th. See below to register.
Julia is a high school senior who shadowed at Lake Erie Ink for one week for her Senior Capstone project through St. Vincent – St. Mary High School prior to her graduation.
Prior to my week spent at Lake Erie Ink, my involvement in LEI’s program was almost exclusively limited to weekly Zoom meetings for a group called the Teen Editorial Board that is responsible for a yearly publication of teen art and writing. Thus, though I had been a part of LEI’s annual teen anthology for three years, I had only visited the actual LEI building once at the release party for the teen anthology, Blur. From my time as both a writer for the teen anthologies and as an editor, I knew the invigorating enthusiasm and dedication that was taken into every aspect of the book by the staff to make creative, exploratory collections of work. Yet, I did not know that this energy and enthusiasm expanded much further than the Teen Editorial Board.
At one point during my week, a member of the staff described LEI as a “small, but passionate group of people.” I would agree. The members of LEI’s staff are united under their collective passion for sharing creativity with children, teens, and each other. I was lucky enough to learn from them and witness their welcoming spirit. Most importantly, I will take their dedication to sharing the art of writing with me as I pursue my own career and future. There is much that can be shared and learned through writing, poetry, and art, and Lake Erie Ink fosters those areas brilliantly.
Check out Lake Erie Ink’s second community cookbook! This volume features recipes, writing, and art from community members of all ages. The theme of this cookbook is “place and palate.”
Thank you to the local chefs who participated in the Stirring Stories project over the summer and contributed their tasty recipes to this book: Doug Katz of Zhug, Amba, and Chimi, Bridget Thibeault of Luna Bakery and Cafe, Melissa Khoury of Saucisson, Dylan Fallon of Ninja City, Jeremy Umansky of Larder, Marc and Carol White of Rid-All, and Chefs Carol and Koko of Convienent Vegan.
Have an inkling for trivia? Join us for Fresh Ink Trivia Night in support of young writers in our community!
Wednesday, June 21 from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at B-Side Lounge at the Grog Shop
Doors open at 6:30. Trivia will begin at 7:00.
Fun prizes and Ink related giveaways throughout the evening
The cost is $15 playing as an individual or $40 for a team up to 5 people.
B-Sides’ bar will be open to purchase drinks, and snacks will be provided!
Fresh Ink members promote Lake Erie Ink’s mission and events, organize fundraisers, and volunteer throughout the organization. It’s a great way to support Lake Erie Ink and get experience with nonprofits. Fresh Ink will have an open meeting on May 4 from 6-7pm at Lake Erie Ink for those interested in joining. Come help us plan our next fun event!
Registration for Summer Ink Camps opens March 1st. Sign up 
