YoungArts Sets 2016 Regional Programs

he National YoungArts Foundation (YoungArts) today announced details for its 2016 regional programs, which will take place in Los Angeles, Miami and New York this February, March and April, respectively. Modeled after National YoungArts Week, the organization's signature program held annually in Miami, YoungArts regional programs offer life-changing experiences, guidance and support to incoming YoungArts Winners nationwide through interdisciplinary workshops, seminars and master classes with renowned leaders in their fields. This year, 819 emerging artists (ages 15-18 or grades 10-12) from 42 states were selected as YoungArts Winners for their outstanding work and accomplishments across the literary, visual, design and performing arts from more than 12,000 applications-the largest number to date.

Each YoungArts regional program will engage YoungArts Winners from all award levels-Finalist, Honorable Mention and Merit-and will expose local audiences to emerging artists in their community. These programs also provide a platform for participants to connect, collaborate and learn from their peers, distinguished YoungArts alumni, and luminaries such as Mikhail Baryshnikov, Vijay Gupta, and Franklin Sirmans. In addition, participants will showcase their talents during public performances, exhibitions and readings at world-class arts institutions in each area to further prepare them for the next stage of their careers.

This year in Los Angeles, the exhibition curated by John Tain; jazz and writers readings directed by Bill Pierce; and performances directed by celebrated choreographer John Heginbotham and acclaimed composer and violinist Daniel Bernard Roumain, will take place at Los Angeles Theatre Center. In Miami, the exhibition curated by Diana Nawi will be on view in the YoungArts Gallery, and performances directed by revered teacher and coach Jen Waldman will be presented at Colony Theatre and the YoungArts Campus. In New York City, performances at Baryshnikov Arts Center (BAC) will be directed by BAC's Artistic Director, the legendary performer Mikhail Baryshnikov, with Pedja Muzijevic, BAC's Artistic Administrator, and the Grammy Award winning violinist Christian Hebel.

"This year, as we celebrate our 35th anniversary, we look forward to continuing relationship building with important cultural institutions, regional communities and artists in their cities, said Lisa Leone, Vice President of Artistic Programs for YoungArts. "I am excited to see how our outstanding alumni will inspire and encourage our incoming winners to follow their dreams of becoming professional artists."

To learn more, the YoungArts regional programs schedule follows below and can also be found online at http://www.youngarts.org/regional-programs. Additional information will be announced in the coming weeks.

2016 Schedule of Regional Programs

YoungArts Los Angeles
February 16 - 21, 2016
Los Angeles Theatre Center
514 S Spring Street, Los Angeles, CA 90013

Tickets for the performances are now on sale at http://www.youngarts.org/youngarts-la

YoungArts Miami
March 8 - 13, 2016
YoungArts Campus / Colony Theatre
2100 Biscayne Boulevard, Miami, FL 33137/ 1040 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach, FL 33139

YoungArts New York
April 12 - 17, 2016
Baryshnikov Arts Center / The Metropolitan Museum of Art
450 West 37th Street, New York, NY 10018 / 1000 5th Ave, New York, NY 10028

Aon is the Legacy Master Series sponsor. Support for YoungArts Miami is provided by the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners, and The Children's Trust; the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture; Wells Fargo; and Miami Downtown Development Authority. Support for YoungArts New York is provided by The Bonnie Cashin Fund at The New York Community Trust.

About the National YoungArts Foundation
The National YoungArts Foundation (YoungArts) was established in 1981 by Lin and Ted Arison to identify and nurture the most accomplished young artists in the visual, literary, design and performing arts, and assist them at critical junctures in their educational and professional development. Through a wide range of annual programs, regular performances, and partnerships with some of the nation's leading cultural institutions, YoungArts aspires to create a strong community of alumni and a platform for a lifetime of encouragement, opportunity and support.

YoungArts' signature program is an application-based award for emerging artists ages 15 - 18 or in grades 10 - 12 from across the United States. Selected from a pool of more than an average of 11,000 applications (in 2015, the organization received a record-breaking number of more than 12,000 applications), YoungArts Winners receive valuable support, including financial awards of up to $10,000, professional development and educational experiences working with renowned mentors-such as Mikhail Baryshnikov, Plácido Domingo, Frank Gehry, Jeff Koons, Wynton Marsalis, Robert Redford, Rebecca Walker and Bruce Weber-and performance and exhibition opportunities at some of the nation's leading cultural institutions, including the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (Washington, D.C.), The Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York), The Museum of Modern Art (New York) and New World Center (Miami). Additionally, YoungArts Winners are eligible for nomination as a U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts, one of the nation's highest honors for high school students who exemplify academic and artistic excellence.

YoungArts Winners also become part of a thousands-strong alumni network of artists, which offers them additional professional opportunities throughout their careers. YoungArts alumni who have gone on to become leaders in their fields include actresses Viola Davis, Anna Gunn, Zuzanna Szadkowski and Kerry Washington; Broadway stars Raúl Esparza, Billy Porter, Andrew Rannells and Tony Yazbeck; recording artists Josh Groban, Judith Hill and Chris Young; Metropolitan Opera star Eric Owens; musicians Terence Blanchard, Gerald Clayton and Jennifer Koh; choreographer Desmond Richardson; visual artists Daniel Arsham and Hernan Bas; internationally acclaimed multimedia artist Doug Aitken; television writer, producer, and director Jenji Kohan; New York Times bestselling author Sam Lipsyte; and Academy Award winning filmmaker Doug Blush.