There are many literary arts venues and organizations that support the wide spectrum of writers in the City of Angels. Some support the artistic endeavors of at-risk youth while others support the creativity of teenage girls or up and coming and establish writers in their creative endeavors. Some venues and organizations host readings and open mics, workshops and book clubs, book release parties and annual literary events. And some even publish literature.

Each organization and literary arts venue has their own way(s) to get the Los Ángeles community involved in supporting the local literary community such as hosting readings, offering volunteer opportunities, fundraising for financial support, etc. Check out their websites and support their endeavors as these literary arts venues and organizations all support the creative writers of Los Ángeles and beyond.

826LA: Echo Park and Mar Vista

About: 826LA is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting students ages 6 to 18 with their creative and expository writing skills, and to helping teachers inspire their students to write.

Founded: 2005
Programs: 826LA provides a variety of free programs for students ages 6–18, designed to challenge and enchant while strengthening writing skills. They include: after-school tutoring, field trips, workshops, in-school programs and publishing.
Address: 1714 W. Sunset Blvd., Echo Park, CA 90026 and 12525 Venice Blvd., Mar Vista, CA 90066
Website: http://www.826la.org/

Avenue 50 Studios

About: Avenue 50 Studio is an arts presentation organization grounded in Chicana/o and Latina/o culture, visual arts, in the Northeast Los Angeles area. They provide a venue for exceptional, up-and-coming local artists and poets. Their monthly art openings and their varied literary events are a testament to the rich diversity that make up Los Angeles.

Founded: 2000
Programs: Avenue 50’s literary programming includes the monthly poetry open mic La Palabra hosted by Angelina Sáenz. It also hosts many one-off literary readings throughout the year. Some L.Á. poets that have read there include: Amy Uyematsu, Sesshu Foster, Will Alexander, F. Douglas Brown and Luis J. Rodriguez, plus many less well known and beginning scribes.
Address: 3714 N. Figueroa St., Highland Park, CA 90065
Website: La Palabra Facebook Page and Avenue 50 Facebook Page

Beyond Baroque Literary/Arts Center

About: Beyond Baroque is one of the United States’ leading independent Literary | Arts Centers and public spaces dedicated to expanding the public’s knowledge of poetry, literature and art through cultural events and community interaction. Beyond Baroque also provides a challenging program of events which promotes new work and diversity; to foster a place in the community for the exchange of challenging ideas and the nurturing of new work; to support writers through readings, workshops, books sales, publication, access to archived material and performance space, etc.

Founded: 1968
Programs: The Center offers a diverse variety of literary and arts programming including readings, workshops, and music and education. It also houses a bookstore with a large collection of new poetry books for sale that include small press and limited-edition publications, chronicling the history of poetry movements in Los Angeles and beyond.
Address: 681 Venice Blvd, Venice, CA 90291
Website: http://beyondbaroque.org/

Bolton Hall

About: Bolton Hall was originally used as a community center for the Utopian community of Los Terrenitos. From 1920 until 1957, it was used as an American Legion hall, the San Fernando Valley’s second public library, Tujunga City Hall, and a jail. Since 1980 the building has been operated by the Little Landers Historical Society as a local history museum. Bolton Hall hosts the monthly poetry reading from the Village Poets of Sunland & Tujunga.

Founded: 1913
Programs: Second Saturday Programs and Village Poets of Sunland & Tujunga, among other one-off events.
Address: 10110 Commerce Ave., Tujunga, California 91043
Website: http://www.littlelandershistoricalsociety.org/

DSTL Arts

About: DSTL Arts is a nonprofit arts and mentorship organization that provides 1-on-1 and small group mentorships and arts-training to emerging artists from underrepresented, historically-marginalized communities in the arts throughout the south and east side of Los Angeles, with a focus on communities in Northeast L.A., East L.A., and South L.A. Their purpose is to help emerging artists Develop Skills and Transcend Limits through the Arts, ultimately preparing them to become part of the local creative economy.

Founded: 2012
Programs: DSTL Arts free programs include: A Mobile Arts Lab, book and zine publishing, Poet/Artist Mentorship Program, Conchas y Café Creative Writing Workshop, and more.
Address: Programs are located at various public libraries: East Los Angeles Library, Vernon Branch Library, Baldwin Hills Branch Library, etc.
Website: http://dstlarts.org/

Dynasty Typewriter

About: Dynasty Typewriter has quickly established itself as one of LA’s premier destinations for highly curated entertainment, shows and immersive experiences. Dynasty prides itself on creating enchanting, connective experiences for artists and audiences alike.

Founded: 2018
Programs: Comedy shows, literary readings, music, live podcasts and screenings, among other shows. Spoken word poets such as Yesika Salgado have read at Dynasty and local bookstore Skylight has hosted some of its bigger author readings there.
Address: 2511 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90057
Website: https://www.dynastytypewriter.com/

Get Lit

About: Get Lit is dedicated to bringing the power of poetic expression to at-risk teens through a standards-based curriculum fusing classic literature and poetry with contemporary Spoken Word performance techniques. Get Lit’s programs are designed to boost literacy, foster cultural understanding, and encourage creative self-expression.

Founded: 2006
Programs: Get Lit offers a classic poetry slam, hosts monthly open mics, a 2-week “Summer Camp”, a workshop titled “Drop-in Class,” a development cohort class “Literati,” the performance troupe “Get Lit Players” and more.
Address: 672 S La Fayette Park Place, Suite 30, Westlake, CA 90057
Website: https://getlit.org

Heavy Manners Library

About: Heavy Manners is a library that seeks to archive and distribute self and independently published artists books, zines, and media.

The library works directly with artists and small publishers, with the goal of making overlooked, out of print, and hard to find media accessible. Formal art education is increasingly becoming more cost prohibitive and inaccessible and the library hopes to be an affordable and alternative resource. Patrons of the library do not need any sort of institutional affiliation and are not limited by physical proximity to the library in order to gain access.

Founded: 2021
Programs: Educationa programming, artist exhibitions, origonal publications, community fundraisers, and in-store & online presentations and performances.
Address: 1200 N Alvarado St Unit D, Los Angeles, CA 90026
Website: https://heavymannerslibrary.com/

Inlandia Institute

About: The Inlandia Institute is a lively center of literary activity serving the 29,000 sq. mile inland Southern California Region. It grew out of the highly acclaimed anthology Inlandia: A Literary Journey through California’s Inland Empire, published by Heyday Books in 2006 with the active participation of the Riverside Public Library.

The cultural programming that supported the anthology led to the development of the Inlandia Institute in 2007.

Their mission is to recognize, support, and expand literary activity in all of its forms in the Inland Empire by publishing books and sponsoring programs that deepen people’s awareness, understanding, and appreciation of this unique, complex and creatively vibrant region.

Founded: 2007
Programs: Inlandia Books and the Hillary Gravendyk Prize, author readings & signings, Celebrating Cultura in partnership with the Riverside Art Museum and The Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art and Culture, award the Eliud Martínez Prize for New Writers Conversations at the Culver at UCR Arts, writing workshops and seminars, among other programs. Plus, they publish Inlandia: A Literary Journey, an online journal.
Address: N/A
Website: https://inlandiainstitute.org/

Los Angeles Poet Society

About: Los Angeles Poet Society (LAPS), was founded by East Los Ángeles Poet, Jessica M. Wilson-Cardenas, with the goal to create a bridge, fusing the communities of Los Ángeles and Southern California Poets, poetry organizations, writer groups, booksellers, publishers, literary enthusiasts and supporters into a unified social and literary network. LAPS’ focal point is to publicize the events and achievements of its members. LAPS also organizes and promotes events, pulling from within its own community, to create and sustain Los Ángeles’ literary anchor.

Founded: 2009
Programs: Los Ángeles Poet Society hosts many events such as the annual Jasmine & Poetry Festival, Meditation Mondays, the open mics One Mic One Glob and Tonalli Thursdays, many one-off poetry readings during the year, a radio show called “Reading in Bed” hosted by Jessica Willson-Cardenas, among other literary events. They run two yearly poetry contests, run L.A. Poet Society Press and publish the literary journal “Acid Verse.”
Address: N/A
Website: https://www.lapoetsociety.org/

Los Angeles Public Library

About: The Los Angeles Public Library provides free and easy access to information, ideas, books and technology that enrich, educate and empower every individual in the city’s diverse communities. The library has 72 branch locations from North East L.Á, to Hollywood to Venice to Sylmar and Northridge and south to Baldwin Hills and San Pedro. Plus, each branch library has its own meeting room that can accommodate community events from open mics, readings, movie showings, free citizenship and financial literacy classes, among others.

Founded: 1872
Programs: ALOUD Lecture Series, Teen Reading Challenge (during summer), open mics at select branch libraries, various author readings at branch libraries, STAR volunteer readers for young children and book clubs, among other events.
Address: 630 West 5th Street, Los Angeles, California (Central Library)
Website: https://www.lapl.org/

OC Poetry Slam

About: OC Poetry Slam is a poetry community founded by Tomi Simmons and Kimberly Bittle. They are committed to fostering inclusion and equity within the writing and performance communities in Orange County.

Founded: N/A
Programs: Poetry slams, writing workshops, and community write-ins.
Address: N/A
Website: https://www.instagram.com/ocpoetryslam/

Poetic Research Bureau

About: The Poetic Research Bureau is a valise fiction and portable literary service in the public domain. It’s a founding & resident member of 2220 Arts & Archives on Beverly Blvd. It’s an archive and study by day, and by night, a non- professional public forum.

Founded: 1999
Programs: Nonprofit publishing, presentations and readings, screenings, various intellectual exchanges, and independent and extradisciplinary research.
Address: 2220 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90057
Website: http://www.poeticresearch.com/

The Poetry Lab – Virtual

About: The Poetry Lab was co-founded by friends Markus D. Manley and Danielle Mitchell in early 2013 in Long Beach. It went on hiatus for a year and a half as the co-founders regrouped. In October of 2019, The Poetry Lab announced its return in January 2020. Due to the pandemic, The Poetry Lab lost its new space in Pomona and has remained virtual ever since. It’s a place to write, read, workshop and collaborate. They state their goals as, “each class session is designed with you in mind. You will be exposed to new ideas about craft, you will write, you will be inspired, you will be motivated in an atmosphere of community and kindness.”

Founded: 2013
Programs: Visiting Author Workshops, poetry book reading recommendations, writing prompts, Sunday Series (3rd Sunday of the Month) and writing critiques.
Address: Virtual (Zoom)
Website: https://www.thepoetrylab.com/

The Poetry Salon – Virtual

About: Since 2012, The Poetry Salon has grown in size, service and reputation. From assisting more than 100 of Los Angeles’ writers in refining their work and getting it published, to inspiring new artists to find their voice. It is a thriving organization where writers, poets, and artrepreneurs can bravely delve into the transformative power of writing. The founder developed The Poetry Salon—which uses research-based techniques—to help artists access their most authentic voice, stretch their creative abilities, and find a loving, safe and supportive tribe. The Poetry Salon is a one-stop-shop for inspiration, education, and creative community building.

Founded: 2012
Programs: Workshops, online classes, craft classes, personal editing services and a podcast, The Poetry Saloncast.
Address: N/A
Website: https://thepoetrysalon.com/tps/home-3/

Santa Monica Public Library

About: The Santa Monica Public Library is the place to be for author talks and lectures, concerts, book discussions, workshops and other exciting events.

Founded: 1890
Programs: SMPL has book clubs, writing workshop, author readings, etc.
Address: 601 Santa Monica Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90401
Website: http://smpl.org/

Sims Library of Poetry

About: The Sims Library of Poetry is the first black-owned poetry library in the state of California. They aim to engage with the marginalized people of the South L.Á. community by offering a space to read, write, study, perform, and appreciate poetry.

Founded: 2020-2021
Programs: Poetry readings, open mics, workshops, The 44 Poetry Class, Poem-A-Week and more.
Address: 2702 W. Florence Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90043
Website: https://www.simslibraryofpoetry.org/ and https://www.facebook.com/SimsLibraryofPoetry

Street Poets Inc.

About: Street Poets Inc. is a Los Angeles-based non-profit organization that harnesses the healing power of poetry and music to build community and inspire the next generation to write, rap and dream a new world into being for everyone. They facilitate writing workshops in schools, probation facilities and community sites in L.Á. County and beyond. They host community open-mics and pop-up creative uprisings from their Poetry in Motion van, and amplify youth voices via their recording studio and various social media/virtual platforms.

Founded: c. 1998
Programs: Community writing workshops for teens, Poety in Motion Van (moble performance venue and recording studio), recording studio, consulting services, quarterly reading series, mentoring, rights of passage, community open mics, performances at schools, youth justice & peace conferences and juvenile detention facilities throughout Los Angeles County and beyond and poetry & gardening.
Address: 2116 Arlington Ave, Suite 310, Los Angeles, CA 90018
Website: https://streetpoetsinc.com/

The World Stage

About: The World Stage is an educational and performance art space in Leimert Park Village, the heart of Los Angeles’ African American cultural community. It was founded in 1989 by the late world-renowned master jazz drummer Billy Higgins and by poet and community arts activist Kamau Daáood, in an attempt to fill a cultural void in the L.A. community. Primarily a music venue, The World Stage hosts an open mic that’s spawned publishing arm, World Stage Press.

Founded: 1989
Programs: Anansi Writer’s Workshop, Drum Workshop, Jazz Vocal Workshop, Jazz Vocal Jam Session, World Stage Press, Concerts.
Address: 4321 Degnan Blvd., Los Angeles, California
Website: https://theworldstage.org/index.html

WriteGirl

About: WriteGirl is a creative writing and mentoring organization that promotes creativity, critical thinking and leadership skills to empower teen girls. Through one-on-one mentoring and monthly creative writing workshops, girls are given techniques, insights and hot topics for great writing in all genres from professional women writers.

Founded: 2001
Programs: WriteGirl hosts writing workshops, mentoring sessions, member events, public events (public readings), the annual Bold Ink Awards, and more.
Address: 1330 Factory Place, Unit F104, Los Angeles, CA, 90013
Website: http://www.writegirl.org/