UPDATED: Applications for the Yes, And… Laughter Lab will now open in February. 

In our fifth year, Yes, And… Laughter Lab (YALL) is evolving to expand our program. To best accommodate these changes, our open application period will begin in February, rather than January as planned. 

The 2023 YALL Application will be available on or around February 13, 2023, and it will close on Sunday, February 26. To receive an email when applications are open, please sign up here. 

But don’t wait! We recommend writing and fully preparing your application materials now. Here’s the full background and application questions: 

About the 2023 Yes, And… Laughter Lab

The Yes, And Laughter Lab (YALL) is a pipeline for the best comedy projects that address pressing social issues. YALL invites all comedy creators to apply for a chance to receive training, a small creative stipend, introduction to a network of like-minded comedy folks, and a chance to pitch their project to a room full of potential allies and partners. 

YALL will select a limited number of applicants with original comedy projects as our 2023 YALL Fellows. Those selected as Fellows will present their original projects in person, either in New York City or Los Angeles (September 2023), to a curated room of traditional and digital media platforms, grantmakers and investors, leading NGOs/nonprofits, production companies, and other select industry leaders. We aim to build support around each comedy project to accelerate its impact and influence.

YALL also provides year-round pitch training and other professional development opportunities for Fellows to take their project to the next level. Fellows will attend an intensive in-person training the weekend of May 20-21, 2023. All applicants are asked to hold those dates on their calendar in case they are selected as a Fellow. 

For the first time this year, YALL will also accept a limited number of applicants to join our YALL Community. YALL Community Members will join our diverse collective of over 130 writers and comedians and gain access to year-round professional development and networking opportunities from YALL and our partners. NOTE: YALL Community Members that are not YALL Fellows will not be invited to attend the in-person training weekend in May.

How to prepare for submitting an application for the 2023 Yes, And… Laughter Lab

The application for YALL will be available to submit online in February (TBD exact date). To prepare your application ahead of time, please check out the information you’ll need to provide, as well as the questions you will answer in the application. Here are the exact questions that will appear on the online application form:

• Project Team Members*
• Project Type (ex. live show, animation, scripted series, podcast, etc.)*
• Project Description*
  • Limit to 1,000 words
• Stage of Development*
  • Limit to 100 words
• Optional sample/example of the project (ex. script, show bible, treatment, excerpt, reel/sizzle, proof of concept, deck/presentation, etc.)
  • Limit to 12-pages of material and/or 12-minutes of footage
• Project Issue Area (ex. Climate Change, Racial Justice, LGBTQIA issues, etc.)*
• Answer Prompt: The Laughter Lab is committed to supporting projects that merge quality comedy content with social justice themes that support and/or advance issues impacting marginalized communities. How does your project align with these goals?*
  • Elaborate on the project issue area/s. What kind of impact do you hope your project will have on the issue/s it addresses? If your project reflects the voices and experiences of those most impacted by the issue/s it addresses, explain how.
  • Limit to 300 words
• Answer Prompt: What is your vision for success? What types of support are you hoping to gain from presenting your project at the Laughter Lab?*
  • i.e. Method of distribution, community engagement, live performances, publicity, financing, talent, production partnerships, NGO partners, etc.
  • Limit to 300 words
• Answer Prompt: Why is this project meaningful to you?*
  • Limit to 150 words
• Answer Prompt: Why now?*
  • Limit to 100 words

* = Required to answer

Want to learn more?

If you are considering applying to the YALL, check out our recent applicant webinar where our team and a former program participant answered questions from interested applicants.

Sign up for our mailing list here. Make sure to follow the Yes, And… Laughter Lab on Twitter and Instagram @YALLcomedy. To get in touch, please contact us at [email protected].