OUR PROGRAMS

Our purpose is to elevate, support, and grow low-income youth poets and emcees in the East Bay Area, to provide poetry/rap-centered programs after-school for Pittsburg youth, and to promote community-specific and culturally responsive arts education.

  • twice weekly after school poetry/rap-focused writing workshops (practices)

  • monthly cyphers

  • regional poetry slams

  • regional poetry and hip hop showcases

  • sound engineering and djing

  • national and international travel

  • IMS Cypher

    The IMS Monthly cipher is IMS's flagship program. It is a free, public, bilingual, open-mic style event that will provide a responsive, safe, educational, and inspirational space for local youth rappers and poets. The event will permit any local youth rapper or poet to sign up to perform for a crowd made up of community and students from neighboring schools. The event will feature a community teach-in or bulletin period, an open-mic period, and then a freestyle cipher period specifically for rappers and musicians

  • Practice with Prodigies: After School Workshops

    Come through every Tuesday and Thursday at lunch and after school to room P205 to write, spit, and sharpen your skills with the greatest creative talent in the Bay. Join the team and become part of our familia. Currently available to PUSD students only.

  • The Prodigies Showcase

    Our Annual Prodigies Showcase is a non-competitive, high-caliber showcase that puts our artists center stage. Every year we feature a cross-section of young rappers, poets, and recent alumni. Set for late 2023, the event is a backbone to our work.

  • Youth Record Production and Free Studio Time

    IMS is proud to offer free studio time and professional recording equipment for up and coming musicians every Tuesday and Thursday after school. Slide over to P205 and jump in the booth.

  • Free Independent Book Publishing

    Always wanted to e a published author? IMS is proud to offer free publishing services to youth, who can develop original full-length manuscripts of poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and art. Bring your stack of notebooks and get published for free with IMS

  • The IMS Block Party

    Coming Spring 2024, IMS will bring our community an expansion upon our spring showcase: The IMS Block Party. More to come in early 2024