Home / Ladderworks Creators Academy

Ladderworks Creators' Academy

LWCA aims to use creativity as a means to improve mental and economic well-being by providing artistic opportunities to all sections of society.

Donate

What is the Ladderworks Creators Academy? (LWCA)

Artists are at the core of what we do at Ladderworks, a social enterprise co-founded by artists.

At the Ladderworks Creators Academy, we work closely with new creative writers and illustrators from diverse backgrounds to co-create children's picture books and advance the 2030 UN Sustainable Development Goals. We provide mentorship and training to our quarterly cohort of artists and help them achieve more visibility for their work. We believe in our artists and want to help them build successful and fulfilling careers for themselves, both as artists and as creative entrepreneurs. 

LWCA aims to build a strong supportive community for artists to thrive, as their fantastic art continues to add beauty and meaning to our world. 

Click here to meet the artists in our community.

Why We’re Supporting Artists

Look at that painting on your wall that sparks joy in you, or remember the comedian that made you laugh last weekend? Art is at the core of our lives! Yet, it's tough for most artists to lead a life free of financial worries.

From our own experiences as artists, we know that financial security is crucial for us to be able to focus on what we do best - making art! We want to nurture new artists from all sections of society and help them become financially independent. If we all ensure their economic and mental well-being, it will help artists continue doing the terrific work they do – of adding color to our lives and making this world a better place. 

This herculean task needs every help possible. So we invite you to support us in our quest to help artists become financially sustainable and build a better tomorrow for all.

To donate, please visit our page on Fractured Atlas.

Your contributions, net of management fees paid to the non-profit Fractured Atlas, go directly to the artists in the LWCA cohort in trainer or creator roles.

Donate now at Fractured Atlas!
Training

Our books are original LW productions, which lets us guide the artists through the process of co-creating a picture book and furthering their careers as creative entrepreneurs.

Publication

For many of our artists, Ladderworks is their first time being published. We strive to offer a chance to talented artists from all parts of society.

Visibility

While financial stability comes first, we also aim to promote our artists so they can continue to reach greater heights after publishing a book with us.

Royalty Advances

We aim to compensate our artists with guaranteed royalty advances for the picture books. Contact us to learn how you can help us support our artists.

SPOTLIGHT

Meet our talented co-creators

  • Chase Bluestone: Illustrator

    "Back in 2017, I graduated from The Fashion Institute of Technology Associates program at the top of my class, and I had the opportunity to make a speech. I have the worst sort of stage fright and almost didn’t do it, but I felt like I had to. Transmasculine people are particularly invisible, and I’ve wanted to amend that. Naturally, I came out to the audience and told them about how I am a 3rd generation FIT student (both my father and his mother got their professional education there). Jonathan Vatner, a campus journalist, thought my story would make for a nice article in Hue, the campus alumni magazine. I even did a one-page auto-biographical comic for that issue, it was an amazing experience. Anyway, a year later Jonathan recommended me for work, and now I’m here!"

    Read Chase's Interview here.

  • Jill Jha: Creative Writer

    "There was actually quite a bit of conversation between me, my kids, and my editors. It was a real team effort! The characters were easy for me to imagine. Once I gave them names, I could play with their personalities and relationships, I could picture the space they inhabited, and I could hear their little voices." 

    Read Jill's Interview here.

LW Voice Actors Program

Meet the amazing voice actors who bring Spiffy's audio books to life!