Writing
Develop ideas through prompts, observation, drafting, and revision. Writing becomes a practice for exploring experience and shaping a point of view.
LEARN / A LYRICAL OPPOSITION PROGRAM / BAY AREA
Lyrical
Academy.
Artists learning from artists. Space to practice, experiment, and grow together.
LEARNING, IN PRACTICE
Write something.
Try it aloud.
Find what comes next.
Available for select workshops, speaking engagements, and educational collaborations.
01 / WHAT IS LYRICAL ACADEMY?
Creative practice.
Shared possibility.
Lyrical Academy is Lyrical Opposition’s artist-development and arts-education program. Through writing, music, poetry, storytelling, and performance, artists learn together and develop their craft.
Learn in community. Write from a prompt, try an idea aloud, listen to someone else’s work, and offer thoughtful feedback. There is room for unfinished work, experimentation, and the confidence that can grow through practice.
Community artist development is at the heart of Academy. Select workshops, guest speaking, and education partnerships also bring that practice into schools, colleges, arts organizations, and other community spaces.
A WORKSHOP CAN BE A BEGINNING
Come as you are.
See what develops.
ArriveBelongLearnCreateShareDevelopPerformGrow
For some artists, an accessible workshop became a first connection to Lyrical Opposition—and later an open mic, a curated showcase, a paid artistic opportunity, or a place to teach and lead.
Not every artist follows the same path. These are possibilities, not promised bookings or required steps. The goal is to create room for whatever comes next.
02 / HOW WE LEARN
Practice your craft.
Make room to experiment.
Language, rhythm, story, culture, and voice connect these practices. No single discipline defines Academy; each gathering takes shape around the artists and the learning experience.
Poetry
Explore poetry and spoken word through imagery, rhythm, revision, and the possibilities of language on the page and aloud.
Music
Experiment with hip-hop and MCing, songwriting, singing, and musical storytelling. Listen closely to how words, rhythm, and melody work together.
Storytelling
Find the relationships between personal experience, cultural memory, character, and narrative.
Performance
Practice delivery, presence, and listening through spoken word, music, theater, and related performance forms. Try work aloud and receive feedback.
Culture + dialogue
Make room for thoughtful conversations about social justice, race, identity, and community through creative expression.
03 / OUR APPROACH
Artists in the room.
Community at the center.
Artist-led
Artists share their practice, ask questions, and learn alongside the people in the room.
Community-centered
Begin with the people in the room, their experiences, and the stories they want to tell.
Culturally responsive
Create space to explore culture and identity while listening carefully to different perspectives.
Room to experiment
Treat prompts, drafts, rehearsal, and feedback as part of creative discovery.
Personal + artistic growth
Connect the development of creative work with reflection, confidence in expression, and thoughtful dialogue.
04 / FROM THE ACADEMY ARCHIVE
Rooted in artist development.
Since 2014.
Lyrical Academy began with its first workshop in San Francisco’s South of Market neighborhood in 2014—before Lyrical Opposition incorporated as a California nonprofit on June 12, 2015. Artist-led learning has since taken place in galleries, community spaces, churches, schools, colleges, and online.
In schools
Historical programming includes June Jordan School for Equity. School-based educational partnerships are part of Academy’s development, alongside artist-led workshops and curriculum work.
In community arts spaces
The record includes programming at Joyce Gordon Gallery and public workshop activity, including #WorkshopWednesdays.
Across distance
Virtual poetry workshops extended creative learning online. A historical event record lists “Lyrical Academy: Online Poetry Workshop” in April 2020.
05 / FIND YOUR WAY IN
A place to learn.
Something to share.
FOR ARTISTS
Learn + develop
For artists, a workshop can be a beginning: a place to develop your craft, meet other artists, and discover ways to participate.
FOR PARTNERS
Bring Academy to your community
For partners, Academy offers a conversation about select workshops, guest speaking, and artist-led learning shaped around your community and what is possible.
Bring Academy to your community ↗Everyone has something to learn. Everyone has something to teach. Share your practice through workshops, mentorship, or facilitation.
Teaching Artists + Facilitators ↗Select engagements and short-term collaborations. This is an inquiry, not enrollment in a recurring class.
Thank you. Your interest in Lyrical Academy has been received.
Your inquiry could not be sent. Please try again or email lyrical@lyrical.co.
OPPORTUNITIES / LYRICAL AIR
One residency. The whole ecosystem.
Learn alongside other artists as part of a deeper residency experience. Lyrical AIR is free to residents and is currently being established.
Explore Lyrical AIR + join the interest list ↗Artist opportunities ↗