pLAtform: Launching Young Artists into LA’s Creative Economy

Access to tech and creative industry employment

County of Los Angeles (select only if your project has a countywide benefit)

Pilot or new project, program, or initiative (testing or implementing a new idea)

Los Angeles powers the global creative economy, yet industries like animation, design, and digital storytelling remain largely inaccessible to young people growing up in its own neighborhoods. According to the Otis Report, California’s creative sector supports over 1.6 million jobs—yet youth from under-resourced communities are systematically excluded, despite abundant talent.
The students we serve often attend schools without digital tools, arts education, or career guidance. These gaps form a compound barrier—not just of skill, but of self-perception. We understand this as a structural issue: a lack of access to training, industry exposure, mentorship, and proximity to creative careers.
We see this clearly in our own alumni. They have the talent and drive—but creative careers still feel out of reach without further support. This isn’t a deficit of ambition or ability. It’s a deficit of access, networks, and support systems. That is the issue we aim to address.

pLAtform: Launching Young Artists into LA’s Creative Economy is a new workforce development pilot by Ryman Arts designed to bridge the access gap between talented youth and LA’s creative sector. The program will prepare alumni from our 18-month foundational visual arts program—primarily from underrepresented communities—for careers in digital illustration, animation, and AI-assisted design.
We are currently in conversation with Warner Bros. Discovery to host the pilot on-site, with additional partnerships in development across LA’s creative industries. Students will attend weekly or biweekly sessions inside real studios, gaining industry-relevant instruction, mentorship, and professional exposure that schools often lack.
The curriculum—co-designed with teaching artists and industry mentors—will include training in digital tools, studio talks, portfolio development, and career-readiness workshops. Participants (15–20 alumni) will complete the program with tangible work, professional networks, and a clearer sense of belonging in LA’s creative economy.
The pilot will culminate in an industry showcase and formal evaluation to inform future scaling. By embedding students within creative environments, the program removes structural barriers to access—providing not just training, but proximity, confidence, and networks. This initiative advances LA2050’s CREATE goal and lays a foundation for a more inclusive, equitable creative workforce in Los Angeles.

If pLAtform is successful, Los Angeles will be a place where talented young artists from underrepresented communities pursue careers in digital media and design with confidence, visibility, and support. Participants will gain in-demand digital skills, mentorship, and experience inside LA’s top creative studios, graduating from the program with portfolios, networks, and a clearer path into the workforce. Some Ryman Arts alumni have already secured internships and jobs at companies like Warner Bros. Discovery. pLAtform aims to make these outcomes intentional and scalable. By embedding education within industry, the program models a new path forward, breaking down the geographic, social, and psychological barriers that keep creative careers out of reach. As these artists enter the workforce, they’ll shape LA’s cultural future—strengthening inclusive storytelling, increasing equity in high-growth industries, and contributing to a more just and representative Los Angeles.