Four new plays receive 20-hour workshops and are presented to the public. This year's festival is in collaboration with National New Play Network (NNPN) and UCSB's AMPLIFY.

The LAUNCH PAD Amplify Reading Series Festival (formerly known as the BIPOC Reading Series) was seeded in the BLM movement, cultivated during a pandemic, and brought to life through a dedication to centering equity, diversity, inclusion, and access in all our work.

"LAUNCH PAD is dedicated to the creation of new plays through a collaborative and nurturing process. The BIPOC Reading Series Festival is a fantastic exchange of ideas between emerging and veteran artists." ~ Risa Brainin, Artistic Director, LAUNCH PAD

Over the course of the two-day festival, we will present staged readings of four brand new plays. Following each reading, will be talk-back conversations with the cast, crew, playwright, and director, to allow our audiences to learn more, and allow the plays' creative team to discover how their pieces connect to audience members.