*Cohort 6 celebrated the end of their training with dinner in Downtown Boston.*

Our eight apprentices are on to great things in the immediate future. Some of them have confirmed where they will be doing their fellowship beginning in January, while others will find out in the coming weeks. The graduates of this year’s instructional program are:

All eight of these apprentices have achieved a significant milestone in their professional journeys. This six month long training is intense and requires a serious amount of effort and commitment, which each of them have demonstrated. They have created four different multimedia projects, which are now a part of each of their professional portfolios. You can check them out by clicking their names above. We, as an Academy staff, are incredibly proud of this cohort, and are excited for what they will do from here.

On January 17th, we will be hosting a public screening of group projects from our students of short documentaries made in partnership with Audible - production photos pictured below. This will be at the Brattle Theatre and doors will open at 6:30pm (time is subject to change). These projects range in topic from third spaces, the school to prison pipeline, mental health services provided to students, and English Second Language learning (ESL). This event will also be hosted by Lisa Simmons, a board member of The Loop Lab and the Executive Director of the Roxbury International Film Festival.

Beginning in February, we are working with TechBoston Academy, a high school in Dorchester, to teach three different classes over the course of nine weeks about video and music production. We are excited about this opportunity to expand our curriculum and instruction into Boston Public Schools. This form of engagement will be known as a Loop Lab High School Residency and we are hoping to replicate it in other schools.

As an Academy, we are grateful for the success that we have experienced in 2023. From our first graduation back in October for Cohort 5, to an alumni mixer that brought 5 different generations of Loop Lab apprentices together, admitting our largest cohort to date this year, to successful high school programming with the MSYEP program over the summer, and all on top of moving to our new location in Downtown Boston! We are grateful for all of the support that we have received, and the growth that we have experienced this year. 2024 is a year of even more potential for us, and we look forward to expanding, and changing the landscape of Media Arts in Greater Boston for the better. It takes a village, and we are grateful for it all.