The Loft's Access Fund Pool is open for programming taking place in June 2024 - August 2025.  The Loft's Access Fund model allows you to submit a single online application to join the Pool and learn about Loft programs as they become available. The following programs are eligible for Loft Access Funds:

• Adult and youth education classes and workshops
• Lit!Series craft talks, pitches and consultations, and events
• Lit!Commons program
• Year-Long Writing Project (separate application)

These opportunities are meant to reduce financial barriers to participation in Loft classes and are available to individuals who are experiencing financial hardship and to whom the cost of tuition is a barrier to participation. Once accepted, available seats are emailed out as they become available, about 1-2 times a month. These email alerts will give you access to a list of offerings that are access fund viable. If you are interested in any of these offerings, you will need to follow the given instructions to request a seat in the class. Seats for most offerings are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. If a seat is available, you will be given a promo code (applied during checkout) that will provide a 95% reduction in tuition for a class. The access fund recipient is responsible for the remaining 5% cost, which will vary depending on the regular price of the class. 

The Loft is committed to equity in our programming by creating opportunities for folks who face barriers to participation in artistic career development. While Loft class access funds are focused on reducing financial barriers, we want to strongly encourage individuals from historically marginalized communities to apply, including, but not limited to, Black and Indigenous people and people of color (BIPOC), LGBTQIA+ individuals, people with disabilities, as well as low income individuals.

It is not mandatory to provide proof of financial hardship, but if you would like to provide documentation**, please submit documentation that includes: 1) Your name & address 2) Public assistance program name**  3) A recent date. Then, use your mobile phone's camera, scanner, or good old snail mail to send us your documentation after, or along with your online application below.

More questions? Read our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). 

**Optional documentation, if provided, should include 1) Your name & address 2) Public assistance program name**  3) A recent date. Then, use your mobile phone's camera, scanner, or good old snail mail to send us your documentation after, or along with your online application. 

Examples of Accepted Public Assistance Programs:

• TANF
• MFIP
• General Assistance
• WIC
• Medicaid,  Medical Assistance, or Minnesota Care
• SSI (Disability, Not Retirement)
• Food Stamps
• Unemployment
• Section 8 Housing
• Free or Reduced Price School Meals

Thanks for your interest in volunteering with the Loft! Volunteers work closely with staff, author/personalities, and the literary community to execute Loft programming and events. The Loft primarily seeks volunteers interested in helping with literary events and occasional administrative projects. Please complete this form to tell us about yourself and what activities you'd be most interested in supporting as a volunteer. 

Applications for summer youth classes are now being accepted. Please contact Marianne Manzler at mmanzler@loft.org with any questions. Want to get feedback on your class proposal? Book a 15-minute feedback session with one of our education associates!

Summer Youth Classes (Half-Day and Full-Day) 2025

The Loft will offer weeklong classes across grades 1-12 for our community during the weeks of June 17 - August 12, Tuesday-Friday (please note there is no Loft programming the week of June 30-July 4). Please propose classes that would fit into our thematic weeks:

• Week 1 (Future Forward): June 17-20, 2025 // Imagination writing, futuristic & forward looking, speculative classes & social justice, more craft of writing type class for younger kiddos (like arts & crafts type class)
• Week 2 (Fantasy, Sci Fi, Horror, Oh My!): June 24-27, 2025 
• Week 3 (Draft Labs and Misc Classes): July 15-18, 2025 // Only morning sessions for grades 1-9; only afternoon sessions for grades 10-12; half-day sessions to break up the program, screenwriting
• Week 4 (Author Boot Camp - Middle School Writing Intensive): July 22-25, 2025 // creative nonfiction, fiction, poetry, screenwriting (Tuesday-Friday, 9:30AM-3:30PM with 1-hour lunch break each day and 1 scheduled off period, flat fee) 
• Week 5 (Author Boot Camp - High School Writing Intensive): July 29-August 1, 2025 // creative nonfiction, fiction, poetry, screenwriting (Tuesday-Friday, 9:30AM-3:30PM with 1-hour lunch break each day and 1 scheduled off period, flat fee) 
• Week 6 (Spectacular WorldsL World building): August 5-8, 2025 // World Building, fantasy, imagination work, 
• Week 7 (Freedom Theme): August 12-15, 2025 // (CNF, Poetry, Multi-genre, Other) - See more about our yearlong theme of WORD! + our 50th anniversary!

*For grades 1-9, classes are 2.5hrs/day, 4days/week. Students will sign up for daylong instruction. Classes will be marketed to constituents as daylong offerings, and sign-ups will include classes proposed by multiple teachers. The marketed title for weekly summer sessions may be determined by the Loft. Your class will be your time with the students, and unless proposed as such, will not be team-taught. A usual day of programing for students might look like this:

• 9:00-11:30 AM - Morning Session - Class proposed by teaching artist 1 
• 11:30-1:30 PM - Midday Enrichment/Field Trip + Lunch with Loft staff
• 1:30-4:00 PM - Afternoon Session - Class proposed by teaching artist 2

*For grades 10-12, classes are 3hrs/day, 4day/week. Students will sign up for individual classes.

*There are now limited slots available for virtual classes for grades 6-12 so please propose a class even if you are not local to Minneapolis!

*Each week will culminate in a final student reading, which we would love to have a teaching artist help facilitate. They take place every Friday at 12-1:30 in the Performance Hall during the summer. Please let us know if you'd like to MC!

*Young Writers Middle School & High School Writing Intensives, Tuesday-Friday, 9:30am-3:30 pm

• Week 4 (Middle School Intensive): July 22-25, 2025 // creative nonfiction, fiction, poetry, screenwriting
• Week 5 (High School Intensive): July 29-August 1, 2025 // creative nonfiction, fiction, poetry, screenwriting

~New~ For grades 6-8 and 9-12, we offer middle school and high school writing intensives (in person only), which are 4-day full-day summer camps where students rotate through and specialize in core genres (fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, screenwriting), participate in morning/afternoon activity with staff or teaching artists, performance prep, revision/office hours with TAs, and read in a final reading on Friday, open to family and the public. Students fill out a short application and submit a writing sample to indicate genre of choice. There will be an opportunity to submit their work to be published in the Loft's first-ever Young Writers Anthology (and also vote on the journal title/cover). A usual day of programming for students might look like this:

General Genre Day (Day 1-2)

• 9:30 AM - CNF TA Intro Community-Building Activity
• 10:00-10:50AM Group 1: Poetry Group 2: CNF Group 3: Fiction Group 4: Screenwriting
• 11-11:50AM Group 2: Poetry Group 3: CNF Group 4: Fiction Group 1: Screenwriting
• 12:00-12:50 PM Lunch
• 1:00-1:50 PM Group 3: Poetry Group 4: CNF Group 1: Fiction Group 2: Screenwriting
• 2:00-2:50 PM Group 3: Poetry Group 4: CNF Group 1: Fiction Group 2: Screenwriting
• 3:00-3:30 PM Fiction TA Closing Community-Building Activity

Specialization Day (Day 3-4)

• 9:30 AM Screenwriting TA Intro Community-Building Activity
• 10AM-10:50 AM Group 1: Fiction Group 2: CNF Group 3: Screenwriting
• 11AM-11:50 AM Group 1: CNF Group 2: Screenwriting Group 3: Poetry
• 12:00-12:50 PM Lunch
• 1PM-1:50 PM Group 1: Screenwriting Group 2: Poetry Group 3: Fiction
• 2:00-2:50: Revision/Office Hours w/TAs
• 3:00-3:30: Poetry TA Closing Community Building Activity

If you have applied to a writing residency or teaching fellowship that will render you unavailable to teach during certain days or entire periods listed on this form, please do not mark them as part of the time frame you are available to teach, even if you're not yet sure if you've been accepted to the residency.

         *If you would like to submit multiple class proposals, please complete this form for each individual proposal.
 

About Young Writers

         Young students include motivated writers who are passionate about their art, as well as reluctant readers and writers who may lack confidence in their abilities. Classes are now offered by grade-range, typically (but not exclusively) students entering:
 

• Grades 1-3
• Grades 4-6
• Grades 7-9
• Grades 10-12

Please note that our most popular age range with constituents is grades 7-9. Teaching Artists should tailor their content to the students’ age and developmental level.   

Compensation
         You’ll be paid $7.00 per student per contact hour based on enrollment for your second class meeting (students may drop the class during the first week).

         Most Loft policies for adult education apply to the Young Writers’ Program as well (teaching artist pay rate, cancellation of class due to low enrollment policy, etc.), but there are many exceptions and additions meant to serve the different needs of a youth population. For more information, or if you have questions, please contact the program manager, Marianne Manzler at mmanzler@loft.org.

More Information

The posted Reference Guide for Teaching Artists can be found on the website and has many answers to FAQ's on everything from Loft policies to teacher pay to descriptions of all the various programs and opportunities the Loft has to offer.

         The Loft is dedicated to offering classes that are as imaginative and multicultural as the students and communities that we serve. We seek reading lists, class content, and approaches to discussions on craft that are inclusive and diverse, as well as timely, contemporary and accessible (readily available online, not out of print). Class proposals not adhering to these stipulations are unlikely to be accepted.

         The Loft will hold two Information Sessions via Zoom about Summer Youth 2025 teaching. 

• September 26, 2024 @ 4-5 PM (TA proposals open)
• November 19 @ 4-5 PM

To register for an info session, or with any other questions, email Marianne at mmanzler@loft.org.
    RSVP here for an informational session.