Programs.
Opportunities for Teens
Free workshops + paid programs for middle and high school students
Opportunities for Young Adults
Year-round programs for young adults ages 18-25
Teen Programs.
What story do you want to share with the world?
At Free Spirit Community Arts + Media, we provide comprehensive media arts education and real-world experience. Teens ages 11-18 in our after-school, in-school and summer offerings receive expert mentorship and build core visual storytelling proficiencies through technical training and project-based learning in:
Screenwriting
Editing
Camerawork & Audio Production
Performance
Media Literacy
Critical Problem-Solving
Media Industry Career Readiness
Our Teen Programs enroll over 140 middle and high school artists ages 11-18 each year. In addition, teens in our programs receive snacks, Ventra passes, and a stipend for program completion.
Teaching Artist Cohort:
Each Teen Program is led by a Teaching Artist (TA) with support from an Emerging Teaching Artist (ETA) to provide guidance to teens in a supportive environment built on partnership and peer learning.
Get to know our Program Team →
Creative Pathways.
Creative Pathways is a cohort-model workforce development program offering young adults ages 18-25 a year of industry workshops, guided mentorship, and professional on-set production experience. Each annual cohort cycle begins in the fall and wraps the following summer.
The Creative Pathways program is supported by our friends at the Illinois Film Office.
Fall Screenwriting Cohort: Story & Development
In this fall 10-week program, students will explore the full journey of writing for the screen—developing ideas, building authentic characters, shaping impactful dialogue, and refining their stories through revision. The program emphasizes the creative process as much as the final product.
Through hands-on exercises, collaborative workshops, and dedicated mentorship, young artists will not only complete a short film script but also practice the habits of resilient, thoughtful artists.
Spring Production Cohort: Filmmaking
The Production Cohort is a 10-week paid program that provides emerging young creatives with a unique opportunity to build community and gain the essential skills needed to navigate the professional film production process. During the program, selected emerging filmmakers will collaborate and produce a collaborative short film, gaining valuable, hands-on experience working alongside experienced professionals and receive practical training in cinematography, sound, lighting and more.
View the 2025 Production Cohort documentarY on YouTube
Summer Post-Production Cohort: Editing & Distribution
The Post-Production Cohort offers media creatives a chance to dive into the editing and distribution strategy of filmmaking. Over 6-8 weeks, selected Chicago Youth Works (previously One Summer Chicago) interns will receive intensive, hands-on experience creating the final cut of the spring Production Cohort’s film, including effects, sound, color, credits and more.
Free Spirit Agency.
Free Spirit Agency is a new initiative that helps young media professionals in Chicago move from education to employment, combining advanced training with paid professional production work.
Following a cohort model, FS+Agency expands on the skills gained during the Creative Pathways program to offer alumni passionate about developing a professional media career a path to gain essential experience with dedicated mentorship and representation. The Agency provides high-quality media services to its clients while directly supporting youth employment and workforce development.
Partner With Us.
At Free Spirit Community Arts + Media we believe that collective power creates the most transformative change.
Our partnerships are driven by a commitment to racial justice, equity, and the holistic and professional success of young media-makers from Chicago’s West and South Sides.
Our Partnership Approach is Centered On:
Empowering Youth Career Pathways: We partner with industry leaders, media organizations, and businesses to co-create real-world learning and employment opportunities. This allows us to provide paid internships, apprenticeships, and production experiences that directly translate to careers in the creative economy.
Building Community Capacity: We collaborate with schools, community organizations, and industry partners across Chicago and nationwide to embed media arts education where it is needed most. These collaborations amplify community narratives and ensure local relevance in all our programming, from in-school workshops to after-school programming.
Equitable Resources: Our partnerships are built on a foundation of mutual respect and shared goals. We seek donors and philanthropic partners who are committed to funding equity and who recognize the importance of investing in youth-defined success and models that challenge traditional, deficit-based narratives.
By partnering with Free Spirit, you are directly investing in Chicago's next generation of ethical storytellers and helping to transform both media and society.