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ABOUT
ABOUT LITKIT
LitKit brings digital literacy and creative technology directly to learners ages 13+, through mobile-first, no-code STEM/STEAM maker kits. LitKit’s Augmented Reality-enabled maker kits empower young creatives everywhere to build the skills they need to thrive—now and into the future.
In a world where the internet shapes everything—from careers to culture—understanding how digital systems work is no longer optional, it’s essential. LitKit helps young people not only survive in the age of the internet but thrive in it, by making digital literacy approachable, creative, and fun.
Digital literacy is as fundamental today as reading and writing were a century ago. Yet access to meaningful, engaging pathways into technology is uneven, leaving many students as passive users rather than active makers. LitKit bridges this gap by blending tactile, analog play with digital experiences—teaching the logic, systems, and creativity of technology without requiring coding skills.
Rated Best in STEM by STEM.ORG! "Best In STEM" is a distinct recognition granted independently of STEM authentication, awarded exclusively to products ranking within the top 5% of those evaluated globally.
HISTORY
LitKit is built on the foundation of curriculum developed over two decades through Never Gallery Ready, a nonprofit known for its innovative media-arts programming—winner of the Toronto Arts Foundation’s 2022 Arts for Youth prize. What started as grassroots workshops exploring the relationship between art and technology evolved into a global portfolio of exhibitions, public programs, and school partnerships. The insights gained from teaching thousands of learners shaped LitKit’s design: kits that bring the essence of those workshops into classrooms, homes, and creative spaces everywhere.
Karen Darricades | Founder & CEO
Karen Darricades is an artist, educator, creative technologist, and parent. Through her nonprofit, Never Gallery Ready, she has facilitated the creation of over 10,000 works of art by young people ages 9–29—earning the Toronto Arts Foundation’s Arts for Youth Prize in 2022.
Having worked in education for over two decades, Karen has seen firsthand how education systems struggle to keep pace with technology. As a creative technologist, she knows the future won't wait for the classroom. She took everything she’s learned about engaging young people through tinkering and creative play and turned it into LitKit: a series of no-code STEAM maker kits that help teens understand the applications and implications of tech on their daily lives—and the future careers they might shape as emerging technology becomes commonplace.
Today, Karen leads an international, diverse team of emerging and established new media artists and technologists to bring these hands-on experiences to classrooms, homes, and creative spaces everywhere.