YoungArts: A Complete Guide

Are you a high school artist dreaming of national recognition? What if we told you that you don’t have to wait until adulthood to showcase your talent and make your mark? When you join YoungArts, you’ll be competing against other talented artists for a chance to win cash prizes and creative opportunities that can help you in your future career in art. Read more to learn how.

• What Is YoungArts?
• YoungArts Awards and Prizes
• How to Qualify for YoungArts
• How to Get into YoungArts
• How to Win YoungArts
• YoungArts Previous Winners
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Takeaways

What Is YoungArts?

YoungArts is a national nonprofit founded in 1981 by philanthropists Lin and Ted Arison. It runs an annual competition for US artists ages 15 to 18 across several fields, namely:

• Classical Music (Composition)
• Classical Music (Instrumental)
• Classical Music (Percussion)
• Dance
• Design
• Film
• Jazz (Composition)
• Jazz (Instrumental)
• Jazz (Percussion)
• Photography
• Theater
• Visual Arts
• Voice
• Writing (Fiction)
• Writing (Nonfiction)
• Writing (Play or Script)
• Writing (Poetry)
• Writing (Spoken Word)

Winners receive cash awards and join an active alumni community. A unique side to YoungArts is that it’s one of the few US organizations supporting high school artists at this formative stage while offering continuing support throughout their careers if they decide to pursue the arts.

Awardees gain mentorship, funding, and professional development opportunities, and many become national finalists or Presidential Scholars too.

Artist Resource Collective

As part of YoungArts’ advocacy to support young creatives beyond their craft, the YoungArts Artist Resource Collective (ARC) is a financial-literacy and career-skills program for artists. Developed by artist David Thomson, ARC equips creatives with essential business know-how.

Because of that, you can expect ARC to cover important topics like personal finance, contracts and copyright, taxes, and grant-writing, among others. ARC has three tiers:

• YoungARC. This is an introductory course for 15- to 18-year-olds, including an online financial curriculum.
• VirtualARC. This offers online intensives on topics like budgeting and contracts.
• LiveARC. This is a hybrid program that provides a comprehensive financial literacy curriculum on topics like budgeting, business structures, concepts of agreements, and more.

These programs help YoungArts alumni build sustainable careers by teaching them practical business skills.

YoungArts Awards and Prizes

Winners of the YoungArts competition gain access to many opportunities that can further support their growth as artists. Below are some awards and prizes that come with winning YoungArts:

National YoungArts Week

National YoungArts Week is an intensive workshop for winners with distinction. If you’re one of the selected artists, you’ll spend a week in Miami collaborating across disciplines with acclaimed artists and educators.

You’ll attend master classes and interdisciplinary workshops, showcase your work in concerts or exhibitions, and build lifelong networks. During this week, you can also earn additional financial awards up to $10,000 and become eligible for US Presidential Scholar nominations. In public showcases, you can also meet the community and audiences interested in the next generation of talent.

The National YoungArts Week for 2026 will be from January 4 to 11.

US Presidential Scholars in the Arts

The US Presidential Scholars in the Arts is one of the country’s highest academic honors for high school artists. YoungArts is actually the sole nominating body for this scholarship. Winners with distinction who attend National YoungArts Week are evaluated by discipline-specific panels and can be nominated to apply for the US Presidential Scholar in the Arts.

To qualify as a Presidential Scholar in the Arts, you must:

• Meet the requirements and standards set by the White House Commission on Presidential Scholars.
• Graduate between January and August of the year you’re being considered
• Be a citizen or permanent resident of the US
• Have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.25

Grants and funding

YoungArts is pretty generous with grants and funding. For one, all YoungArts winners receive cash awards ranging from $250 to $10,000. Beyond the competition, YoungArts also offers ongoing financial support. In fact, alumni can apply for microgrants (which are small awards for professional needs) and special prizes.

For instance, the Gordon Parks Foundation annually grants one YoungArts alum $7,500 unrestricted, and the $25,000 Ashley Longshore Excellence award goes to a photography, theater or visual arts winner. There is also the $25,000 Jorge M. Pérez Award for visual arts alumni who serve their communities.

YoungArts has National Reviewers, who are established professionals in their fields. They assess applications by evaluating artistic excellence, funding potential, and technical expertise, depending on the guidelines of each program.

Creative opportunities

Winning YoungArts also opens doors to many creative opportunities that will help you create, develop your creativity, present your art, and connect with audiences.

For example, residencies offer time, space, and financial support as you work on creative projects. You may work on the YoungArts campus in Miami or in your own city through strategic partnerships that bring the program to you.

One of the standout residency programs is the YoungArts Artist Fellowship. This is awarded annually to two mid-career performing artists, who receive workspace, project guidance, and financial support.

YoungArts also has thematically curated exhibitions showcasing work by artists spanning different generations and media. Curators choose each exhibition around themes that reflect current cultural and artistic concerns. Through these shows, you and your peers get visibility and recognition in professional art spaces.

Of course, YoungArts organizes performance opportunities with high-profile partners and venues. These performances help you present original work and collaborate with professionals. For instance, Nu Deco Ensemble commissions collaborations with YoungArts alumni composers, like Chris Rogerson. Meanwhile, YoungArts partners with Joe’s Pub in New York, where its alumni perform live on stage.

YoungArts Lab

YoungArts Lab is an experimental workshop program for past winners. Lab sessions take place in Los Angeles and New York, where participants in all disciplines attend collaborative labs led by professional artists.

In these interactive workshops, you’ll experiment with new media, engage in interdisciplinary exercises and discuss strategies for strengthening your artistic practice. Entry is by lottery (prioritizing those who haven’t been to YoungArts Week yet) and is open to all YoungArts winners. Lab extends YoungArts’ reach beyond Florida, giving alumni across the country a chance to continue growing together.

How to Qualify for YoungArts

To join the YoungArts competition, you should first check if you can qualify.

Eligibility

To be eligible for YoungArts, you must:

• Be a US citizen, a permanent resident, or legally able to receive taxable income in the US (meaning you have a social security number)
• Be in grades 10 to 12 or 15 to 18 years old on December 1 of the year you’re applying
• Not have attended the National YoungArts Week as a winner (if you were a previously won the YoungArts competition)

Required documents

Each discipline has its own application requirements. But in general, you’ll fill out basic personal and school information and then upload work samples or audition media.

For example, for spoken theater, you should submit:

• One monolog from a play written during or after the 1950s, maximum of 2 minutes
• One monolog from a play written before the 1950s, maximum of 2 minutes

Or, if you’re submitting for the film category, you’ll need to submit one main short film that you directed or animated. You can also pass a second optional film where you’re the director, animator, or cinematographer. Your overall submission shouldn’t exceed 10 minutes.

All materials must be uploaded through the YoungArts application portal. Carefully follow the discipline-specific guidelines on content and length for your category.

Contest fees

The application fee is $35 per submission. You can apply for fee waivers. Just upload a simple request letter (from a parent, teacher, or counselor) in the portal to have the $35 fee waived. If you’re 18 years old and can’t request one, you can write one yourself.

Registration deadline

For the 2026 cycle, the deadline is October 8. The application opened on July 22, and you can expect winners to be announced on November 24.

How to Get into YoungArts

If you’re interested in competing in YoungArts, here’s a step-by-step on how you can do it:

Step 1: Gather your best work.

Review the application requirements for your discipline on the YoungArts site. Then, prepare your materials in advance. Collect high-quality samples of your work that you can further choose from, or start practicing for any recorded performances.

Make sure your materials highlight your strengths and fit the format rules. For example, edit footage to show only your performance, remove your name or other identifiers from videos or artwork to ensure an unbiased review.

Step 2: Start your online application.

Go to the YoungArts application portal and create an account. Click “Begin” a new application for your discipline. Fill in all required personal and education information and answer the questionnaire.

Step 3: Pay the fee or request a waiver.

After completing your application form and uploads, proceed to payment. Enter your credit card details to pay the $35 fee for that entry. If you need a fee waiver, upload the waiver letter into the application.

Step 4: Submit before the deadline.

Double-check everything before submitting. You must complete, upload, and submit all of your materials correctly by the cutoff. If anything is missing or late, your entry won’t be considered.

Once you submit your application, you should receive a confirmation through email.

If you’re applying for two disciplines, you’ll need to submit two different applications and pay the fee (or submit a waiver) twice.

How to Win YoungArts

YoungArts is very competitive. Here are some tips that can somehow help increase your chances of winning:

1. Submit your strongest work.

Submit work that truly represents your strengths as an artist. Don’t submit weak or unfinished work just to fill a quota.

For example, those submitting for the film discipline can pass one or two videos. If you’re submitting two, make sure that both of them reflect factors like your aesthetics, intellectual interests, and an excellent understanding of technical elements since your application will be judged as a whole.

If a writing prompt or theme is given, address it fully and thoughtfully. For example, if you’re applying for the design discipline, you’ll need to answer artistic questions relating to your submission.

2. Follow the guidelines exactly.

YoungArts emphasizes that you must follow every submission rule because failure to do so can disqualify your application. Read the guidelines for your discipline carefully (namely the format, duration, and number of samples, among others) and double-check that you have met each one.

You should also protect the integrity of the judging by removing any identifying information. This means blanking your name from any video credits or signed artworks.

3. Start your application early.

This doesn’t just mean completing your application form. Instead, it also means choosing which works to submit, writing responses to any prompts, and practicing and recording yourself for required videos well before the deadline.

When submitting, don’t wait until the last few minutes to cram the application form. Uploads can be slow, or you might encounter technical problems. Then, before you hit submit, preview or test your files if possible. Check that videos play back without glitches and images are clear.

YoungArts Previous Winners

YoungArts has awarded so many prizes in the past years. Here are some of the most notable winners:

• Viola Davis (Theater, 1983). An Academy, Emmy, and Tony Award–winning actress, Davis is one of the most celebrated performers of her generation, known for Fences, How to Get Away with Murder, and The Woman King.
• Desmond Richardson (Dance, 1986). Hailed as one of the most versatile dancers of his time, Richardson is the co-founder and artistic director of Complexions Contemporary Ballet, and a former principal dancer with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and American Ballet Theatre.
• Dave Eggar (Classical Music, 1987). A Grammy-nominated cellist, pianist, and composer, Eggar has performed worldwide, bridging classical, jazz, pop, and world music, and collaborating with artists ranging from Coldplay to Esperanza Spalding.
• Naomi Fisher (Visual Arts, 1994). A Miami-based contemporary visual artist, Fisher is known for her bold work in photography, video, painting, and performance, and for co-founding Bas Fisher Invitational, an artist-run space supporting experimental projects.
• Nicki Minaj (Theater, 2000). A global music icon and one of the best-selling female rappers of all time, Minaj is known for her chart-topping hits, vibrant alter egos, and groundbreaking impact on hip-hop and pop culture.
• Timothée Chalamet (Theater, 2013). An Academy Award–nominated actor, Chalamet has quickly become one of Hollywood’s most sought-after talents, acclaimed for his performances in Call Me by Your Name, Dune, and Wonka.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is YoungArts prestigious?

Yes, YoungArts is considered one of the most prestigious awards programs for young artists. Since 1982, it has also nominated talented students for the US Presidential Scholars in the Arts, another top national honor.

2. What age is YoungArts for?

Applicants must be 15 to 18 years old during the year of application. Upon winning the competition, you’ll get access to the organization’s resources and be part of its alumni roster.

3. How much does it cost to enter the YoungArts competition?

The application fee is $35 per entry. If you apply in more than one discipline/category, you pay $35 for each. Fee waivers are available, and eligible students can upload a simple request letter to have their fee waived.

4. What is the YoungArts Week program?

National YoungArts Week is a week-long intensive that takes place (recently) in Miami. It brings together YoungArts winners from across the country to work with master artists. During the week, you take classes, attend interdisciplinary workshops, perform or exhibit your work, and explore career opportunities.

Takeaways

• YoungArts is a top national program for young artists aged 15 to 18 across several disciplines. It was founded in 1981 and provides competition awards plus ongoing support to budding musicians, writers, dancers, actors, visual artists, and more.
• All winners of the YoungArts competition get cash awards. Those with distinction can attend National YoungArts Week and may qualify for a Presidential Scholar nomination.
• Do you think you need extra help in winning YoungArts or other humanities competitions? We can guide you through your creative process to help you give your best.