2021 YoungArts Award Closes October 16, 2020

2019 YoungArts Winners in Dance Isaiah Day, Francesca Levita and Michael Edwards_photo by Em Watson
2019 YoungArts Winners in Dance Isaiah Day, Francesca Levita and Michael Edwards_photo by Em Watson

YoungArts Awareness Day, accomplished artists ages 15-18 years old (or in grades 10 – 12) are encouraged to apply to the nation’s leading arts competition for young artists before it closes on October 16, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. ET. Artists across ten disciplines in literary, visual, and performing arts can apply online at youngarts.org/apply. Applications will be judged by esteemed discipline-specific panels of artists through a rigorous blind adjudication process. YoungArts 2021 award winners will be announced by the end of November 2020.

YoungArts awards are given in three categories: Finalist, Honorable Mention and Merit. In 2021, all YoungArts award winners will receive: financial awards; opportunities to work with renowned mentors and leading artists such as Debbie Allen, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Frank GehryWynton Marsalis, Salman Rushdie and Mickalene Thomas through expanded online programming; and exclusive creative and professional development support throughout their careers. Finalists who are high school seniors are further eligible for nomination to the White House Commission on U.S. Presidential Scholars.

Details regarding 2021 virtual programming and mentors will be announced at a later date.

2021 YoungArts award winners join a distinguished group of leading artists including Daniel ArshamTerence BlanchardCamille A. BrownViola DavisAllegra GoodmanJosh GrobanJudith HillTarell Alvin McCraneyAndrew RannellsDesmond Richardson and Hunter Schafer.

ELIGIBILITY AND APPLICATION SUPPORT 
The YoungArts award competition is open to artists (1) between the ages of 15–18 or in high school grades 10–12 (as of December 1, 2020) (2) that are United States citizens or  permanent residents and (3) that demonstrate excellence inClassical Music, Dance, Design Arts, Film, Jazz, Photography, Theater, Visual Arts, Voice  or Writing.

YoungArts is proactively making it easier for artists to apply. The YoungArts application, as well as the process for requesting a fee waiver, has been simplified. Audition and portfolio requirements have been updated to accommodate young artists working from home or the virtual classroom.

In celebration of National Arts in Education Week, September 13–19, YoungArts is launching YoungArts in Practice, a new interactive, multimedia resource for arts educators and their students, available for free at youngarts.org/educators. YoungArts in Practice provides guidance and insight from YoungArts panelists on application and audition preparation and portfolio development, helping young artists improve their application as well as college and career readiness in the arts. YoungArts in Practice focuses on three artistic areas that are foundational to most comprehensive high school programs – music, visual arts, and writing. YoungArts in Practice content can also be adapted for classroom instruction, distance or online learning and non-traditional classroom settings with activities designed to spark a deeper connection to the artistic process.

For application inquiries please call (305) 377-1140 or email apply@youngarts.org.

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