The National YoungArts Foundation today announced its 2014 YoungArts Winners. Out of approximately 11,000 applications, 687 young artists from 46 states have been recognized for their outstanding work and accomplishments in one of ten disciplines across the literary, performing, visual and design arts fields. A complete list of the Winners is available online at this link.
"Every year I look forward to reviewing our applications because each one is so inspiring. This year, as we prepare to announce the master plan for our new campus in Miami, I was especially excited to review the applications of those students applying to our new Design Arts discipline," stated Paul T. Lehr, President & CEO of the National YoungArts Foundation. "I congratulate all 687 Winners and am excited to welcome the Finalists to our campus in January."
YoungArts Winners are designated into three categories-Finalist, Honorable Mention and Merit-and are selected through a blind adjudication process. Some Winners receive awards for excellence in more than one discipline. All of the 2014 Winners are eligible to participate in the Emmy-nominated HBO series YoungArts MasterClass and in YoungArts' regional programs-YoungArts Miami (February 12-17, 2014), YoungArts Los Angeles (March 18-23, 2014) and YoungArts New York (March 31-April 6, 2014)-space permitting. Additionally, Finalists receive monetary recognition of at least $1,000, regional program attendees receive at least $500, and all Honorable Mention award Winners receive at least $250.
All Winners also become part of the YoungArts alumni network of 17,000 artists, some of whom have gone on to become leading professionals in their fields including actresses
Vanessa Williams,
Viola Davis, and
Kerry Washington; actor, musician, and filmmaker
Adrian Grenier; four-time Tony Award nominee Raúl Esparza; CEO of
American Ballet Theatre Rachel Moore; recording artists
Nicki Minaj,
Chris Young and
Josh Groban;
Metropolitan Opera star
Eric Owens; musicians
Terence Blanchard and Jennifer Koh; choreographer
Desmond Richardson; visual artist Hernan Bas; and internationally acclaimed multimedia artist Doug Aitken. YoungArts maintains a relationship with its alumni by integrating them into national programs and local events, supporting their projects and seeking ways to promote their artistic ideas and establish connections for them with YoungArts' partners around the country.
YoungArts is the exclusive nominating agency for the U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts, the highest honor that can be awarded to any artistically talented graduating high school senior. Every year YoungArts nominates 60 YoungArts Winners to the White House appointed Commission on Presidential Scholars, 20 of whom are then selected to become U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts.
Of the 687 Winners, 171 Finalists from across the nation will come together for the 33rd annual YoungArts Week in Miami from January 6 to 12, 2014. During YoungArts Week, Finalists will participate in a week of intense master classes and workshops with internationally renowned artists such as
Frank Gehry, Zaha Hadid, Irving Sandler,
Rita Moreno,
Andrew Rannells, Shelly Berg,
Shalita Grant, Lourdes Lopez, and
Judith Hill to name a few. Throughout the week, Finalist's work will be further adjudicated to determine additional award levels including a monetary award of at least $1,000, with top-level awardees receiving $10,000. Students will also have the opportunity to share their work with the public through performances and film screenings at the New World Center; and on the YoungArts campus, an art, design and photography exhibition in the YoungArts Gallery; writers' readings in the Jewel Box; and a jazz combo performance at the 7th floor lounge.
YoungArts Week is supported by Carnival (National Premier Sponsor), SunTrust (Performance Sponsor), Aon, James Royal Palm Hotel, Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs Festivals and Special Events Grants Program (FEST), Miami-Dade County
Tourist Development Council (TDC), The Miami Herald and MIAMI Magazine.
On Sunday, January 12, YoungArts Week will conclude with world-renowned architect and YoungArts Artistic Advisor
Frank Gehry, who is designing the master plan for the YoungArts campus, participating in a discussion at the YoungArts campus entitled, Design Now + Design Futures with Paola Antonelli, Senior Curator and Director of Research and Design, Department of Architecture and Design at The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), and world-renowned architect Zaha Hadid.
In celebration of the 2014 YoungArts Winners, the YoungArts Backyard Ball Performance and Gala will be held for the first time on the YoungArts campus on Saturday, January 11, 2014. Co-chaired by
Elizabeth and Facundo Bacardi, the evening will feature an alumni performance directed by Tony Award-winning dancer and choreographer, and YoungArts Artistic Advisor
Bill T. Jones and emceed by Tony Award-winning actor and singer
Brian Stokes Mitchell. Support for the YoungArts Performance and Gala is provided by Bacardi, Braman Motors, EventStar, James Royal Palm Hotel, Miami Arts and Entertainment Council (MAEC), The Miami Herald, MIAMI Magazine and Seabourn.
About the National YoungArts Foundation:
The National YoungArts
Foundation (formerly known as the National
Foundation for Advancement in the Arts) was established in 1981 by Lin and Ted Arison to identify and nurture the next generation of artists in the literary, performing, visual and design arts, and to contribute to the cultural vitality of the nation by supporting the artistic development of talented young artists. Each year, YoungArts receives approximately 10,000 applications from 15-18 year old (or grades 10-12) artists. From this pool, approximately 700 winners are selected and are eligible to participate in YoungArts programs in Miami, New York and Los Angeles. YoungArts provides these emerging artists with life-changing experiences with renowned mentors, access to significant scholarships, national recognition, and other opportunities throughout their careers to help ensure that the nation's most outstanding emerging artists are encouraged to pursue careers in the arts.
To date, YoungArts has honored more than 17,000 young artists with over $6 million in monetary awards; facilitated in excess of $150 million in college scholarship opportunities; and enabled its participants to work with master teachers who are among the most distinguished artists in the world, such as
Mikhail Baryshnikov, Jacques d'Amboise, Plácido Domingo,
Frank Gehry,
Bill T. Jones,
Quincy Jones,
Robert Redford and
Martin Scorsese. In addition, at the request of the Commission on Presidential Scholars, which is appointed by the President of the United States, YoungArts serves as the exclusive nominating agency for the U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts, the country's highest honor for young artists. Presidential Scholars in the Arts receive a Presidential Medal and perform at the
Kennedy Center and exhibit at the Smithsonian.
Some of YoungArts' work is featured in its Emmy nominated HBO series YoungArts MasterClass, which chronicles the work of renowned artists sharing their art and life experiences with YoungArts Winners. Season 1 featured
Edward Albee, Jacques d'Amboise, Plácido Domingo, Olafur Eliasson,
Frank Gehry,
Bill T. Jones,
Julian Schnabel,
Michael Tilson Thomas, and
Liv Ullmann. Season 2 featured Renée Fleming,
John Guare,
Patti LuPone,
Bobby McFerrin,
James Rosenquist,
Kathleen Turner and Bruce Weber. Season 3 will include, among others,
Wynton Marsalis,
Anna Deavere Smith,
Alan Alda,
Josh Groban,
Joshua Bell, and
Robert Redford. In conjunction with Columbia University's Teachers College, YoungArts also has developed a Study Guide based on its YoungArts MasterClass series, which is distributed free to schools nationwide to help increase arts education and awareness.
In order to carry on expanded activities locally in Miami and across the country, YoungArts is working with world-renowned architect and YoungArts Artistic Advisor
Frank Gehry to transform the former Bacardi Tower and Museum buildings and three and a half acre campus into its national headquarters and support expanded local activities in Miami, FL. The new campus will be a multidisciplinary arts complex with a new Gehry-designed performing arts center and park with state-of-the-art sound and video capabilities. The campus is beginning to host year-round programming including master classes, public screenings and performances, artists in residence throughout the year, and visual arts exhibitions guest curated by institutions based in Miami, New York, and Los Angeles. For more information, visit
www.youngarts.org. Select this link to
see a brief video about YoungArts.
