Applications for the 2021 Yes, And… Laughter Lab convenings will open Monday, February 1, 2021.

The Yes, And Laughter Lab invites all comedy creators to apply for a chance to receive some training, some money, and a chance to pitch their project to a room full of potential allies and partners. The Laughter Lab is a pipeline for the best comedy projects that address pressing social issues.

The Lab will select ten original comedy projects from the pool of applicants. Winners will present their original projects, online or in person either in New York City (September 2021) or Los Angeles (October 2021), to a curated room of traditional and digital media platforms, grantmakers and investors, leading NGOs/nonprofits, production companies, and other select industry players. We aim to build support around each winning comedy project to accelerate its impact and influence.

The Laughter Lab is also providing training for up to 20 Finalists to provide them with the knowledge and skills needed to make the most of this opportunity. In light of COVID-19, the training may take place in person or virtually through a series of webinars, workshops, and videos. All participants will be updated when a final decision is made closer to the event date.

Our 2021 Laughter Lab Finalists will be informed the week of April 12, 2021 and announced the week of May 3, 2021. The final Pitch Winners will be announced the week of July 12, 2021. To get in touch, please contact us at [email protected].

If you’re considering applying to the Laughter Lab, we are hosting a webinar on February 10, 2021 where we will answer questions from interested applicants and explain more about the application and selection processes, what it means to be selected as a pitch winner, and what to expect along the way. You can view a recording of our 2020 applicant webinar on our YouTube channel.