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Fresno State Library

Questions? Contact Us.

Lab Location:
Fresno State Library, Room 1110
(First Floor, North Wing)

Lab Coordinator

Juan Felipe Herrera,
U.S. Poet Laureate Emeritus
laureatelab@mail.fresnostate.edu

Ohuaya Collective

Dr. Jackie Ryle
drjryle@mac.com

Administrative Support

Heather Parish,
Library Communications Specialist
heatherparish@mail.fresnostate.edu

Laureate Lab

Laureate Lab participants

The Laureate Lab Experimental Poetry and Visual Art Studio, located inside the Fresno State library, brings together students, writers, artists, and community members to explore the dimensions of and connections between poetry, sound, movement, visual art, making, and performance. “La Lab” is a free space that believes in and encourages collaborative creation toward promoting inclusivity in art and poetry that represents our collective unity.

La Lab is coordinated by U.S. Poet Laureate Emeritus Juan Felipe Herrera, with support from the library's Administrative Services office and the College of Arts and Humanities. The space is staffed by a dedicated group of volunteers.

Founded in 2016, the Lab is the visionary project of Herrera, transforming a corner of the Fresno State Library into a collaborative studio where poetry and art are taken into new hands-on spaces, experimenting with the marriage of words, visual art, making skills, and performance.

“The work of the Laureate Lab explores words in all dimensions and visual mediums, from painting a poem to capturing video and sound of walks across Fresno neighborhoods,” said Herrera. “The Laureate Lab is a space for those who love to play with new ways of doing sculpture, dance and words, performance and media, painting and materials, construction, posters and collage, and a way to interact with art in new ways.

Lab Space Agreements

Maintaining a functional and respectful creative space is integral to the success of La Lab. The following are agreements to uphold when using the Laureate Lab. 

  1. Shared Use
    • The Laureate Lab will be jointly used by the College of Arts and Humanities and the Library.
    • Both units will have equitable access to the space for relevant programming and academic engagement in line with the Laureate Lab’s vision and purpose.
  2. All scheduled programming must:
    • Take place during the Library’s operating hours.
    • Conclude at least 30 minutes prior to Library closing, in accordance with Library policy.
    • Reflect the mission and vision of the Laureate Lab as a space of creativity, community, and collaboration.
  3. Supplies and Equipment
    • Supplies and equipment within the Laureate Lab will be shared by both Library and CAH.
    • Supplemental resources specific to an activity will need to be provided by the activity’s organizers.
  4. Maintenance and Cleanliness
    • All individuals and groups utilizing the space are required to return it to a clean and functional state after use.
    • This includes (but is not limited to):
      • Clearing tabletops and workstations.
      • Replacing or restocking shared supplies from the supply room.
      • Cleaning or clearly labeling whiteboards.
      • Removing or organizing any materials left behind.
    • Works-in-progress should be clearly labeled and stored in the designated office area or storage rooms to avoid accidental damage and to ensure that the workspace remains available and functional for other users.
    • Do not leave the space unattended.

Requesting the Lab for Activities

If you want to use the lab, be sure to respect the following:

  1. Ensure your activity or event aligns with the purpose of the Laureate Lab, which focuses on creativity, language and visual arts, making, artistic expression, and hands-on learning.
  2. Check for availability by viewing the Laureate Lab Google Calendar.
  3. Email library programming specialist Heather Parishto request dates/times.
  4. Please reserve at least two weeks in advance to ensure access and coverage. Standing open hours can be reserved one month at a time.
  5. To cancel a reservation, please contact Heather Parish as soon as possible to free up the space.
  6. Space is only accessible during the Library’s operating hours.
  7. When it's time for your event, please request assistance at the circulation desk to have the door unlocked for you.
  8. Do not leave the space unattended.
  9. At the end of your event, make sure you have cleaned up the space and returned it to its previous condition.

You can always contact the library programming specialist, Heather Parish, with your questions.