Lake Erie Ink

06/01/2026

Lake Erie Ink’s Leadership in Motion!

We would like to announce the next exciting chapter in Lake Erie Ink’s story. After co-founding Lake Erie Ink with Cynthia Larsen back in 2011, Executive Director Amy Rosenbluth will be passing the pen to Director of Programming Charisse Bailey.

See Amy's letter to the community here: https://heightsobserver.org/articles/heights-first-person/lake-erie-inks-rosenbluth-embarks-on-new-chapter/

“I am so grateful for Amy’s leadership for our first 15 years," says Cynthia, “without her as my co-founder, Lake Erie Ink would not exist and we would not be the healthy, sustainable, creative organization we are today. I will miss her, but I can’t wait to see what she does next!”

“Cynthia and I created Lake Erie Ink; we birthed it, we brought it to teenage-hood,” says Amy, “I feel so confident in the team that we have here, in the collaborative culture we have built, that I know the transition will be smooth.
“Regardless of who wears the title of director, this community is bigger than one person. New leadership means new perspectives and zero stagnation - we are a story in motion!”

“Amy and Cynthia built an incredible foundation rooted in writing, self expression, and youth voice,” says Executive Director-to-be Charisse Bailey, “I feel deeply honored to carry that work forward. There is so much possibility ahead as Lake Erie Ink continues to grow, evolve, and imagine what comes next.”

Lake Erie Ink’s vision has always been to create a space and community where the local youth can discover themselves, share ideas and inspire each other. We hope you continue with us as we journey forward!

A Message from our Board ~

"Dear friends of Lake Erie Ink,

As you’ve read, Lake Erie Ink is entering an exciting new chapter this summer. My fellow board members and I feel confident about the future of the organization and the opportunities ahead for our programs, partnerships, and community impact. These transitions come from a place of strength, creativity, and deep commitment to our mission." - Kari, Chair of the Board

Check out our summer programming here: https://lakeerieink.org/our-programs/

05/25/2026

Lake Erie Ink 10th Teen Book Launch Party puts Kids Center Stage with “Lights, Camera, Action!”

Meeting weekly throughout the school year, 8 teen editors worked together on this project to come up with a theme, prompts, outreach and designs for this year’s anthology, “Lights, Camera, Action!” With guidance and support from Lake Erie Ink teacher and writer Amy Hughes, two dedicated volunteers and the local literary and publishing community, this annual project offers teens the opportunity to learn and grow as creative participants in their community.

This year’s anthology invited contributors to explore vulnerability, revelation, and everything in between. More than 70 submissions poured in from students in grades 6–12 across Northeast Ohio, representing a vibrant mix of genres—fiction, poetry, comics, visual art, and photography. Their collective work has resulted in a beautifully bound book that honors the complexity of growing up and coming into one’s own.

The book launch event took place on 19th May at the MLK branch of Cleveland Public Libraries, with a foreward from renowned writer Justin A. Reynolds who was also in attendance to read in person.

Young authors took to the stage to give live readings of their works to a full audience that could follow along with their own physical copies. The night was a rousing success of cultural and generational exchange, and a wonderful culmination of the teens’ and teachers’ hard work and dedication.

Our deepest gratitude goes to Cleveland Public Libraries for always being an ally to our creative youth and hosting this event. This program would also have not been possible without the support of the Ohio Arts Council, Cuyahoga Arts and Culture, and the Cyrus Eaton Foundation, as well as the Cuyahoaga Community College Mandel Center for Humanities, individual donors and local foundations.

“Lights, Camera, Action!” is now available in local bookstores including Loganberry Books, Mac’s Backs-Books on Coventry, Visible Voice Books and from Lake Erie Ink, as well as other select retailers.

Buy your copy here: https://lakeerieink.org/shop/

05/22/2026

Lake Erie Ink marked the 10th anniversary of its Teen Book Project with the launch of this year’s anthology, "Lights, Camera, Action," compiled by student writers from Ohio schools. The annual initiative gives teens the opportunity to publish their works.

05/15/2026

The Teen Book Launch Party is in just 4 Days! Come join us in celebrating the talented voices of youth in Lights, Camera, Action!

Join Lake Erie Ink for the launch of our 10th annual teen anthology on May 19th and experience an evening of teen voices through live readings exploring identity, perspective, and the moments that shape us.

Throughout the school year, 8 teen editors representing 6 different school districts worked together to develop this year’s theme, prompts, outreach, and design for Lights, Camera, Action! With guidance from writer and teaching artist Amy Hughes, two dedicated volunteers, and members of the local literary and publishing community, the project gave teens the opportunity to grow as writers, editors, artists, and creative leaders.

This year, more than 90 submissions poured in from students in grades 6–12 across Northeast Ohio, featuring a vibrant mix of fiction, poetry, comics, visual art, and photography.

Lights, Camera, Action! is more than a book. It’s an experience of youth discovery, imagination, and reflection, created by and for young people. We invite you to join us in recognizing and celebrating the talented voices of youth in our community.

Come Join Us at the Teen Book Launch Event!
Date: May 19th
Time: 6–7:30 PM (Doors at 5:30 PM)
Location: Cleveland Public Library’s MLK Branch
10601 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, OH 44106

RSVP HERE:
https://form.jotform.com/261095651452053?mc_cid=272e461902&mc_eid=2ce55031ad

This program would not be possible without the support of the Ohio Arts Council, Cuyahoga Arts & Culture, the Cyrus Eaton Foundation, the Cuyahoga Community College Mandel Center for Humanities, individual donors, and local foundations.

Our deepest gratitude goes to Cleveland Public Library for continuing to be an ally to creative youth and for hosting this event.

05/14/2026

Summer Programming is in Motion! Registrations are now open!

Lake Erie Ink is proud to present "Stories in Motion", our theme for the summer of 2026!

Stories in Motion invites creatives to explore how stories grow, shift, and move into the world. Through writing, visual art, performance, and interactive media, Summer 2026 programs support youth in carrying their ideas forward — building confidence, collaboration, and creative risk-taking along the way.

Starting NEXT MONTH, we have a variety of Summer Camps (Grades 2-5), Summer Intensives (Grades 4-8), Story Games workshops (Grades 4-12), Teen Ink workshops (Grades 6-12), and Creative Neighborhood days that are open to all ages.
Spaces are filling up fast, so if you don't want to miss out on our fantastic summer offerings, sign up today! Check out our summer programming schedule here: https://lakeerieink.org/currentprograms/
We will be sharing more information about our programs as the summer draws closer, so stay tuned!

Scholarships are available.

05/05/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1XkucNcAsK/

05/05/2026

It’s a podcast takeover! Five young writers—Moriah, Malikye, Victoria, Jordan, and Wilma—share poems and a story excerpt, all of which are about to be published in Lake Erie Ink’s 10th annual Teen Book Project. This year’s anthology is titled Lights, Camera, Action, a theme that speaks, in part, to the phenomenon of feeling seen in an online world.

To view the art and read all the writing in the anthology, purchase Lights, Camera, Action via Lake Erie Ink; at a local independent bookstore like Mac’s Backs, Loganberry, or Visible Voice; or at the book launch. The book launch for Lights, Camera, Action will take place Tuesday, May 19 at 6pm at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Branch of Cleveland Public Library and will feature contributor readings and light refreshments. Please RSVP here to attend.

Show Notes It’s a podcast takeover! Five young writers—Moriah, Malikye, Victoria, Jordan, and Wilma—share poems and a story excerpt, all of which are about to be published in Lake Erie Ink’s 10th annual Teen Book Project. This year’s anthology is titled Lights, Camera, Action, a theme that...

05/02/2026

You’re all invited! Celebrate the release of our 10th teen anthology!

04/27/2026

There is a new generation of poets coming of age in the city, and they are COLD!!!!!

Shout to , .ink, , everybody out here doing the good work, molding and shaping these up & coming artists ♥️♥️