Explore our Arts Academy
Enroll in Winter Classes
Our Fall classes for ages 8 to 22 are open for registration and are available as in-person classes in Washington, DC or as virtual courses online.
Innovative Hip-hop C
urriculum
Join our creative arts classes to propel your career as a DJ, fashion designer, music producer, radio broadcaster, artist, or poet.
Academy Spotlights
Shanna Lim
Face & Body Art
Shanna Lim is a veteran of the DC's dance and performance art scene whose work is empowered by human interaction, tears, joy and the rawness of street art. She is an established body painter having done work for companies like Cirque Du Soleil and The Shakespeare Theatre. She is an arts educator for Words Beats & Life, Youth In the Arts Imagine, Music in Me, and a former resident artist at Davis & Elkins College.
Asad Walker
Comic Creation
Asad ULTRA Walker has been an innovator in Washington DC’s hip hop and graffiti art movements for over 30 years. One of the first DC-native graffiti artists to embrace the New York style, he founded KGB, DC’s first and longest-running graffiti crew in 1983. He has spoken about graffiti outreach to the DC City Council and painted at an exhibition of new figurative artists at the Smithsonian.
UPCOMING EVENTS & PROGRAMS
Uncover Our Wide Range of Community Programs
Check out what we accomplished in 2024 with this rap-up video from Trus real.
WBL MEDIA
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The Counterbalance Blog
The Power of Art in Advocacy and Social Change
Sasa Aakil is a force of nature. Previously part of our extensive Youth Poet Laureate program, we’ve been honored to work alongside Aakil as she navigates her career in poetry and advocacy. In addition to mentorship, performance opportunities and skill advancement, our YPLs advance their careers by becoming published authors.
Exclusive Interview with Patrick Washington: From OG of DC's Black Broadway to Director of Poetry at the Words Beats & Life Academy
Patrick Washington, director of poetry at the Words Beats & Life Academy, shares his journey as an independent artist and activist, exploring '90's hip-hop, go-go and his vision for youth poets to fight marginalization.
AI Bionix: Exploring the Impact of AI on Music
Art? Official? Intelligence? AI is here. What does it mean for human expression? Drake rapping Ice Spice’s “Munch.” Biggie rapping Nas’ “New York State of Mind.” Timbaland making a brand new song with the Notorious B.I.G. and these are just the most recent ones. You can’t put Pandora back in the box — we are in the era of AI!
