GOT SOMETHING
2 SAY?
TAKE IT 2 THE STAGE
JOURNAL 2 JOURNEY
Journal 2 Journey is a PAID 18-week writing and theater intensive for NYC youth ages 16-21. Turn your poetry, stories, and ideas into theater as you work with professional artists to create a full-length production alongside other youth artists.
Each participant works closely with a thoughtfully selected team of professional artists and teaching mentors throughout the program. Mentors guide participants through writing, devising, and performance processes, offering individualized feedback and collaborative support.
Your Words Deserve the Spotlight
Develop your writing
Explore acting and playwriting
Collaborate with other young artists
Work and learn from theater professionals
Bring your work to a real theater!
Earn $300 when you complete the program
Are you eligible?
Will you be between the ages of 16 and 21 by January 2027?
Do you have a strong interest in theater, performing arts, the humanities
and/or the arts?Are you available for 18 weeks in Brooklyn, NY?
Do you want to help make a one-act production and perform in May 2027?
No prior experience is required! Regular attendance, punctuality, and active professional engagement are required throughout the program.
Scroll down for the complete schedule.
Take a chance!
How to Apply
Step 1: Apply by December 4, 2026
Step 2: Audition
Select applicants will receive a link to book a 10-minute audition slot. Auditions will take place in-person at Hi-ARTS on:
December 13, 12-5pm
December 14, 3-7pm
Applications will be invited to perform for 1-2 minutes and choose one of the following:
An original monologue
A monologue from an existing play
An original spoken-word piece
Step 3: Change Your Life
Commit to an 18-week experience that could change your world. J2J provides participants with access to professional, creative, and logistical resources that support both growth and program success. Participants will have access to:
Professional rehearsal studios and a 70-seat state-of-the-art theater at L10 Arts & Cultural Center
Guidance and feedback from experienced theater and writing mentors
All necessary materials and supplies provided (scripts, notebooks, production tools)
Collaboration with peers and mentors
Documentation of final performances for your portfolio
A robust marketing campaign promoting the final production
Apply by December 4, 2026 at 11:59PM ET
Photos from Luminance: The Unearthing, May 2026. Photos by Julian Elijah Martinez
Important Dates*
| December 4, 2026 | Application Closes | |
| December 7, 2026 | Audition Invitations Sent | |
| December 13-14, 2026 | Auditions at Hi-ARTS | |
| December 16, 2026 | Participant Selection & Notification | |
| January 11, 2027 | Journal 2 Journey Kickoff! | |
| January 11-March 8, 2027 | Writing Workshop Sessions
Weekly group workshops, plus one-on-one virtual mentoring/editing sessions. |
|
| March 14-March 29, 2027 | Playwriting & Acting Workshops
Group workshops to create a cohesive stage narrative and align final writing edits with anticipated staging needs. |
|
| April 4-May 10, 2027 | Staging Workshops
Group Rehearsals conducted by the Theater Director and supported by the Stage Manager. |
|
| May 10-14, 2027 | Performance Week & Program Conclusion |
*Dates subject to change
2024 Highlights
“My time with J2J was an invaluable and invigorating learning experience. As I don't have a background in poetry or slam, J2J allowed me to expand my skill set and style as a playwright.”
— Rix Zioueche, J2J Participant, 2024
EN ROUTE
En Route: a heart-opening, interwoven tale of six characters exploring themes of individual purpose, courage, power, and the perception of each other’s humanity as well as our own. En Route invites audiences to empathize with an observant subway rider, the President of the United States, a grieving daughter, a tomato, a woman named Hope and a patient at a mental institution. Join Urban Word NYC and Hi-ARTS as these characters each take the stage while En Route on their unique journey.
Presented by the 2024 Journal 2 Journey cohort, this culminating performance highlights the creative voices of young artists who have transformed their personal narratives into dynamic works of art. Developed in partnership with Hi-ARTS and Urban Word, J2J empowers youth to explore identity, storytelling, and resilience through writing and performance. Join us for an evening of powerful expression, creativity, and the celebration of their journeys.
Rebel Verses
Delaney Jocelyn performing Sterile at the 2025 Rebel Versese, youth festival.
Since 2001, REBEL VERSES has been where the next generation of New York City theater artists showcase their unapologetic and unrelenting creativity. This three-evening festival offers audiences a curated collection of performances by some of the best youth companies and programs based in New York City and beyond, who are committed to nurturing and elevating diverse voices, championing artistic excellence, and creating a vibrant community of young artists who are challenging the status quo and shaping the future of theater.
About Urban Word
Urban Word, Founding Program Partner
Urban Word champions youth voice through the transformative power of the written and spoken word, providing platforms for literacy, self-expression, social impact, and leadership through free creative writing, college prep workshops, and performance opportunities. Urban Word provides young, creative voices, often those who are marginalized, the tools, training, and platforms to rewrite the narratives that shape their lives and their communities.
As one of the oldest and most comprehensive youth literary arts organizations in the United States, Urban Word is the founder of the National Youth Poet Laureate Program, a renowned program that celebrates youth for their excellence as writers and their civic engagement.
Urban Word is supported by the National Parks Conservancy in support of the Federal Hall Fellowship Program.
