Frequently Asked Questions

YoungArts is the only national organization that champions artists throughout their lifetimes and across all art forms, fueling the ongoing vitality of the arts nationwide. Building on 45 years of impact, the organization is galvanizing a dynamic ecosystem of support with hundreds of world-class cultural institutions across the country, enabling artists to more effectively shape and sustain their careers. Artists gain lifelong access to critical resources—including funding, incubation and presentation opportunities, mentorship, and professional development — beginning with early recognition as YoungArts Award winners. Through an intergenerational and interdisciplinary network of 24,000 artists, YoungArts cultivates community and drives innovation, collaboration, and career-defining opportunities.

While YoungArts is physically rooted in downtown Miami at 2100 Biscayne Blvd., the organization has national reach with programming, staff, and artist alumni across the country.

No. YoungArts is an organization that supports current and past winners of its prestigious arts competition. The application-based competition is open to artists ages 15-18 or in grades 10-12.

YoungArts does not offer classes to the public. YoungArts programs are for current and past award winners and include classes with notable guest artists in their fields. For information about applying, visit youngarts.org/apply.

The 2027 national arts competition application opens on Tuesday, July 21, 2026 and closes on Tuesday, October 6, 2026 at 8 PM ET/5 PM PT.

YoungArts funds the programs it operates to support award winners. This includes direct grants for award winners and support of residencies, and other opportunities for award winners with partner organizations.

YoungArts is supported by the generosity of individuals, corporations, foundations and city, county, state and national entities. Additional funding is generated through special events and galas.

You can donate to YoungArts online or by contacting us at advancement@youngarts.org or 305-377-1140, extension 1802. Thank you for supporting YoungArts and investing in the future of the arts.

Yes. Donations to YoungArts are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law and are determined by the value of the goods or services received. Donate today.

YoungArts strives to ensure that all of our online spaces and in-person events are accessible. We provide accessible seating for all performances and events, and sign-language interpretation services are available upon request.

If you are a professional artist interested in serving as a guest artist with YoungArts, please email your cover letter and CV and/or resume to programsteam@youngarts.org.

Beyond programs designed to support current or past winners of the national arts competition, YoungArts also offers resources via the Artist Resource Collective program, open to all artists and industry professionals regardless of YoungArts alumni status.

The deadline for the 2027 national arts competition application cycle is Tuesday, October 6, 2026  at 8 PM ET/5 PM PT.

To be considered for the competition, you must complete, upload, and submit all of  your materials according to the requirements for the discipline/category in which you are applying prior to the deadline (this includes processing payment or submitting a fee waiver document if applicable). Therefore, it is STRONGLY recomended that applicants not wait until deadline day to submit their application(s).

Eligible artists apply to the YoungArts competition through an online application that requires video recordings, audio recordings, documents or images in a portfolio, and payment of an application fee or fee waiver documentation. Please refer to the discipline and category guidelines by visiting youngarts.org/apply.

Artists in grades 10–12 or ages 15–18 on December 1, 2026 may apply. Applicants must be either a United States citizen, a permanent resident or be legally able to receive taxable income in the U.S. (i.e. have a US social security number). Award winners who have previously attended National YoungArts Week may not apply under any discipline or category. There are no exceptions to these guidelines.

The application asks for basic contact and demographic information, education information followed by uploaded discipline/category media files. Please visit youngarts.org/apply for your discipline’s specific requirements.

If you do not meet the grade requirement, you may still apply to the competition as long as you are between the ages of 15 and 18 on December 1, 2026.

Award winners who did not attend National YoungArts Week may re-apply as long as they continue to meet the eligibility requirements. Award winners who previously attended National YoungArts Week may not reapply, under any discipline or category.

The YoungArts competition currently includes ten disciplines across the visual, literary and performing arts. They are Classical Music, Dance, Design, Film, Jazz, Literary Arts, Photography, Theater, Visual Arts, and Voice. Some disciplines also have specific categories and there is an option to select that your category is not listed. Make sure to review the requirements for the discipline and category in which you’re applying.

Yes, you may apply in as many disciplines and categories as you would like. Please note that there is an application fee for each application you submit. If you qualify for a fee waiver, the letter must be uploaded into each application in order for your fees to be waived.

The fee for applying to the YoungArts competition is $35 per submitted application. Your application fee helps offset the administrative costs in running the annual national arts competition. If you are unable to pay the fee, you may upload a letter of request per the instructions in the following question and your fees will automatically be waived.

Waivers are available to applicants to cover the $35 application fee. To have your fee waived, a letter from a parent, guardian, teacher, counselor, or principal must be uploaded into the application. If you are 18 years old and unable to obtain a letter from any of the above-listed people, you may submit one yourself within the application.

The letter should simply state “(Applicant’s name) is in need of waiving the $35 fee for their application” along with the name of who wrote the letter and relationship to the applicant. The letter does not need to be on letterhead and does not need to include a reason why.

The letter must be uploaded as a PDF and submitted with the online application; we are not able to accept waivers via email. Fees will automatically be waived at check-out.

You may pay your application fee with a credit card in the application portal. Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover cards are accepted.

The application fee is non-refundable. However, if you are encountering any special circumstances, please write to apply@youngarts.org for assistance.

Yes, you may begin an application and come back to it at a later time to complete. The information you have entered can be saved and is available to you up until your application is submitted.

However, please note that even small files may take some time to upload. It is STRONGLY advised that applicants not wait until deadline day to submit their application(s). Make sure you have ample time to fully upload and complete your application prior to the deadline.

While you will not be disqualified, it is recommended that you either edit out or remove any and all identifying from submission materials wherever possible to ensure a fair adjudication process. This includes credits within films.

As a policy, YoungArts cannot comment or advise on specific selections, as part of the application process is choosing materials that show your strengths as an artist while meeting each of the requirements. We recommend following the guidelines as closely as possible and using your best judgement.

Submitted applications are kept confidential, but you can view past winner’s published anthologies via our website and performances on our YouTube page.

Yes, YoungArts does not require exclusivity or own copyright of any submitted work. If you become a winner, we may publish or use submitted works in promotional materials.

Artists are expected to submit original work that accurately reflects their artistic abilities and creative voice. The use of AI tools in the creation of submitted work may be restricted or prohibited depending on the discipline, category, or nature of the submission. Applicants should review application and discipline requirements and guidelines carefully before submitting work.

YoungArts applications are evaluated and awarded on an individual basis. While submitted work may include collaborative or ensemble elements depending on the discipline, each application must represent the individual applicant’s artistic contribution and will be judged only on that applicant’s work.

YoungArts offers a variety of resources for educators, counselors, community organizations, and others supporting student applicants. These may include general application guidance, informational materials, in-person or virtual presentations, and additional resources designed to help students navigate the application process. Please visit the Educator Resources page for the latest information and available resources.

Once you have fully submitted your application(s), you will receive a confirmation by email.

Each application’s submitted materials is evaluated on its own merit in an adjudication process that includes multiple rounds of review. In each round, a national pool of artists review and evaluate materials within their respective specialties.

Your name, contact, demographic, and education information is not provided to judges and is not part of the evaluation process.

In the 2026 cycle, YoungArts received approximately 13,000 completed applications and almost 800 winners were awarded.

For any questions not already answered here, please email us at ​apply@youngarts.org.

All applicants will be notified of their application decision via email. Please see the application, adjudication and notification timeline at youngarts.org/apply. Award winners with distinction will also receive a follow-up phone call via the contact information provided in their application. All award winners will be announced on the official winners list posted on our website by the end of November.

Applicants who have not been awarded, but who qualify for YoungArts’ feedback program (see next question regarding feedback), will also be notified of their status via email. Applicants who have not been awarded and are not eligible for feedback will not receive a notification.

YoungArts provides feedback on applications that meet the following criteria: (1) the application reached the last round of the adjudication process; (2) the application was not awarded; and (3) the applicant will be eligible to reapply in the following application cycle. If eligible, applicants will be notified via email and provided with constructive suggestions in spring 2027 from the judges who reviewed their materials.

Yes. Panelists may select winners to be awarded for multiple levels in multiple disciplines and categories. YoungArts will recognize you in all disciplines and categories for which you are named a winner.

If you were selected to attend National YoungArts Week in more than one discipline or category, you will be required to select the discipline or category in which you would like to participate; you will still be honored as an award winner with distinction in the other discipline or category and will receive a monetary award of $500 for it.

All 2027 competition winners and winners with distinction must complete the financial literacy program for young artists in order to receive their cash award. Classes are broken into 15-minute blocks, totaling 1.5 hours of instruction. Further directions will be provided in notification emails for winners and winners with distinction.

Winners will receive instructions on completing their award forms shortly after the announcement of competition winners, and all payments will be issued by the end of June.

Yes. High schools may submit a request to education@youngarts.org to receive an engraved plaque for them to display that includes the names of all YoungArts award winners from that school in a given year.

If you opt into the YoungArts Student List Service in your application, YoungArts will share your contact information (name, address and email, and the name and address of your secondary educational institution) with the select colleges, conservatories and universities that participate in this program. YoungArts does not share phone numbers, demographics, parent/guardian contact information, educator contact information, or citizenship information. You may get emails and/or postal mail from these institutions. Contact from colleges, conservatories and universities that participate in the YoungArts Student List Service does not guarantee your acceptance into an educational institution.

National YoungArts Week is an intensive program held in Miami for award winners with distinction to collaborate with peers across all disciplines, develop their craft with internationally recognized leaders in their fields and create lifelong connections.

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YoungArts covers airfare, hotel, ground transportation within Miami, and meals for the duration of the program. Selected participants will receive details on these arrangements in advance of arrival.

National YoungArts Week is designed to take advantage of the deep collaboration, learning, community-building and experimentation that takes place in person. While we highly encourage in-person participation for this program, we recognize that travel may introduce complications for some individuals.

Our goal is to provide an equitable and meaningful experience for all selected participants. If you’re applying to our national arts competition and have concerns about potential travel should you be named an award winner with distinction, please contact us at apply@youngarts.org. If you have already been selected to attend YoungArts Week and have concerns about travel, please contact us at winner@youngarts.org.

YoungArts retains on-site nurses and mental healthcare professionals to address the wellbeing of all participants. Should a medical need require further care, nurses will accompany participants for doctor, urgent care or hospital visits. All selected participants must complete an advance questionnaire including a list of conditions, allergies, dietary restrictions, and medications prior to attending the program.

Award winners may also be invited to participate in programs held in Houston, TX, Los Angeles, CA and New York, NY. Dates and further details are to be determined. Participants are chosen by application submission. Please note that while award winners at all levels are welcome to apply, preference is given to winners who have not previously participated in a program.

Additionally, all award winners receive access to YoungArts Post, a free, private online platform for award winners to connect, share their work, access professional development resources and discover new creative opportunities.

Opportunities include skills-building workshops, masterclasses, residencies and professional opportunities designed to help advance artists’ careers and build their networks. Additionally, we support the creative process by providing emerging and mid-career artists with space, funding and resources to encourage their artistic practice and experimentation.

All award winners are eligible for a lifetime of support. This includes anyone who has been named a YoungArts winner since 1981, whether they have participated in a YoungArts program or not.

Our community is made up of over 24,000 past award winners, many of whom are gifted artists and have attended top colleges, universities and conservatories across the country and have become leading professionals in their fields. Others have chosen more unconventional paths such as creating their own programs, performance spaces, publishing houses, dance companies and more to explore their artistry and push the boundaries of their practice. From Juilliard to Harvard, New York City Ballet and Alvin Ailey Dance Company, exhibiting at the Venice Biennale, making The New York Times Best Seller list and creating their own artistic spaces and practices, YoungArts award winners are present in artistic circles around the world, and serve as leaders and creative thinkers who redefine the way that art and culture is created, experienced and appreciated.

The YoungArts community is here to provide individual support for every past winner to reach their full potential in their artistic careers. We also foster the community as a whole, bringing together artists from different participation years and disciplines to encourage networking and collaboration.

To learn more, set-up a profile and/or visit YoungArts Post—a free, private, online platform designed for award winners to connect, share their work and discover new opportunities. Access to applications for residencies, grants, performance and exhibition opportunities, temporary work with programs and exclusive offerings from YoungArts’ cultural partners are all available on YoungArts Post.