Happy May! This month we look back on two of YoungArts’ regional programs, YoungArts Los Angeles and YoungArts New York, the second annual New York gala, YoungArts’ first photography exhibition, and we look forward to what promises to be another exciting season in 2017-18!
YoungArts Los Angeles Recap
(March 28 – April 2, 2017)
The National YoungArts Foundation’s fifth annual YoungArts Los Angeles program, presented in partnership with Center for the Art of Performance at UCLA offered approximately 70 YoungArts Winners the exceptional opportunity to learn from, connect and collaborate with peers and artistic luminaries. Presented as part of a new partnership with CAP UCLA, this year’s Los Angeles student master classes and public offerings took place on the UCLA campus.
Public events included a jazz instrumental performance directed by the distinguished Dr. Ron McCurdy; writers’ readings led by Joan Morgan; a classical music performance directed by celebrated cellist Jeffery Zeigler; a multidisciplinary performance directed by award-winning dancer and choreographer John Heginbotham; and a visual arts exhibition curated by John Tain, Assistant Curator, Modern & Contemporary Collections, Getty Research Institute.
The intensive week included interdisciplinary workshops and concentrated master classes with accomplished masters in their field, including; Transparent producer Joan Scheckel; Jazz musician Alan Pasqua; Award-winning author Jeff Chang; New York Times bestselling author Daniel José Older; Los Angeles Philharmonic violinist Vijay Gupta; Multi-media artist Jim Drain; Associate Artistic Director of Heidi Duckler Dance Theater Teresa Barceló; and the award-winning independent filmmaking duo of Nancy Savoca and Rich Guay.
YoungArts New York Recap
(April 25-30, 2017)
The National YoungArts Foundation 2017 YoungArts New York program welcome approximately 75 of this year’s YoungArts Winners to New York to learn, connect and collaborate with their peers and renowned artists.
Interdisciplinary workshops, public performances, and seminars and master classes were led by creative leaders such as acclaimed author Sir Salman Rushdie, dancer and choreographer Nora Chipaumire, visual artists Mickalene Thomas and Jose Párlá, Tony Award-winning vocal coach Joan Lader, and Grammy-nominated saxophonist Ben Wendell. Public programming began on Friday, April 28 with a visual arts, design and photography exhibition at Sotheby’s New York. Events at Baryshnikov Arts Center (BAC) included a dance, theater, voice and jazz performance directed by Grammy nominee Michael McElroy (1985 Winner in Musical Theater) and saxophonist Adam Larson (2009 Winner in Jazz), both YoungArts alumni; and a classical music concert and writers’ readings directed by acclaimed pianist Elizabeth Joy Roe (2000 Winner in Classical Music), and author and award-winning journalist Joan Morgan.
YoungArts New York Gala
(April 20, 2017)
On Thursday, April 20 the National YoungArts Foundation welcomed 280 of New York City’s top cultural and community leaders, philanthropists, celebrities and art aficionados to the second annual YoungArts New York Gala at The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Temple of Dendur in the Sackler Wing. Presented in collaboration with luxury brand Swarovski, with support from Max Mara, the event was hosted by honorary co-chairs Debbie Allen, Agnes Gund and Sir Salman Rushdie, as well as gala co-chairs Sarah Arison and Thomas Wilhelm, and Gillian Hearst Simonds and Christian Simonds.
The YoungArts New York Gala was emceed by former Gossip Girl and The Knick actress Zuzanna Szadkowski (1997 Winner in Theater and U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts) and included a series of interdisciplinary performance vignettes directed by YoungArts alumni Jake Goldbas (2007 Winner in Jazz), featuring soul singer and songwriter Grace Weber (2006 Winner in Voice), jazz singer, songwriter and bassist Kate Davis (2009 Winner in Jazz and U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts), R&B/pop singer and songwriter and The Voice Season 8 Top 5 contestant India Carney (2011 Winner in Theater, Voice and U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts), modern dancer Javon Jones (2016 Winner in Dance and inaugural Max Mara Young Visionary Award recipient) alongside four recent YoungArts dance alumni, and more.
Enlighted: Contemporary Photography
(Opened May 5, 2017)
National YoungArts Foundation (YoungArts) presents its first-ever exhibition dedicated solely to photography, Enlightened: Contemporary Photography by YoungArts Alumni. Featuring the works of 27 artists in Photography, Visual Arts, and Design disciplines, this multi-generational show is curated by photography luminary and YoungArts master teacher and panelist Michelle Dunn Marsh.
Enlightened celebrates the work of established alumni such as photographers Thomas Carr and Corinne May Botz who were YoungArts winners in 1982 and 1995, respectively, alongside a younger generation of artists including Cidgy Bossuet (2012), Aaron Cohen (2016) and Maxwell Zengage (2016). Spanning 34 years between the eldest and the youngest of participants, the exhibition explores photography across time as a twenty-first century medium. By looking at history and contemporary techniques, artists analyze their role in time-preservation and present investigations into the contemporary photographer’s viewpoint, intuitions and artistic choices.
Please see below for a comprehensive list of upcoming calendar dates for the season. Be sure to check our website at www.youngarts.org for the most up to date information on programs and events.
Campus Programs:
Outside the Box
May 20, 2017 | Daniel Bernard Roumain
(Ticket Price: Free)
Links:
Happy February! This month we look back on YoungArts’ signature program, National YoungArts Week, another successful annual Backyard Ball performance and gala, and look forward to our fast approaching regional programs in Los Angeles and New York.
YoungArts Week Recap
The 36th annual National YoungArts Week took place from January 8 – 15, 2017, where 165 of the nation’s most promising artists between the ages of 15-18 gathered in Miami to strengthen their craft. Performances took place all week long at the New World Symphony Center in Miami Beach and included voice, jazz, theater, dance, film screenings and a classical music ensemble, as well as writers’ readings and a photography exhibition, curated by Perez Art Museum Miami Director Franklin Sirmans, at the YoungArts campus. The winners attended master classes and workshops hosted by YoungArts alumni and highly regarded professionals in each discipline, including choreographer and dancer Bill T. Jones, painter Will Cotton, and Academy Award-winning director Doug Blush (1984 Winner in Cinematic Arts).
YoungArts Backyard Ball
On Saturday, January 14, 2017, the National YoungArts Foundation (YoungArts) hosted its annual fundraiser in Miami, the Backyard Ball performance, and gala, to help support the artistic development of the nation’s most promising young artists. Presented by Italian luxury brand Max Mara, chaired by Dr. Kira and Neil Flanzraich and emceed by comedian and actress Amanda Seales (1999 Winner in Theater), the evening honored jazz pianist Jason Moran (1993 Winner in Jazz) as this year’s Arison Alumni Award recipient and choreographer Jessica Lange as the Arison Award Honoree.
Throughout the evening guests enjoyed a series of performance vignettes which featured YoungArts alumni, directed by Tony Award-nominated actor, singer, and dancer, and 1997 YoungArts winner in Theater Tony Yazbeck. The evening concluded with the Backyard Bash on the YoungArts plaza, which featured music by DJ Walshy Fire.
The event raised more than $1.5M in support of YoungArts’ programs in Miami, New York, Los Angeles and Washington D.C., which offer aspiring young artists life-changing opportunities to work with leading artists in their fields, present their work to the public, and collaborate across disciplines.
YoungArts Los Angeles (March 28 – April 2, 2017)
During YoungArts Los Angeles, winners from the area have the chance to share their talents with the public through multidisciplinary performances, a cinematic arts screening, and a visual arts exhibition.
The intensive week includes interdisciplinary workshops and concentrated master classes with accomplished masters in their field, such as choreographer, director and three-time Emmy Award winning actress Debbie Allen; Transparent producer Joan Scheckel; celebrated choreographer John Heginbotham; acclaimed composer and violinist Daniel Bernard Roumain; Los Angeles Philharmonic violinist Vijay Gupta; visual artist Edward Arceneaux; BODYTRAFFIC Artistic director Lillian Barbeito; design duo the Haas Brothers; and the award-winning independent filmmaking duo of Nancy Savoca and Rich Guay.
For more information on the calendar of events for YoungArts Los Angeles, please click here
YoungArts New York (April 25-30, 2017)
During YoungArts New York, participants also share their talents with the public through a series of multidisciplinary performances as well as through a visual arts and photography exhibition, writers’ reading and film screenings.
YoungArts winners in the visual, literary, performing and design arts have the opportunity to learn, connect and collaborate with fellow peers and creative luminaries across artistic disciplines. The intensive week includes interdisciplinary workshops, seminars and master classes with accomplished leaders in their fields such as Derrick Adams, Carla Dirlikov Canales, Joan Lader, Joan Morgan, Adesola Osakalumi, Sir Salman Rushdie, and Conrad Tao, among others.
For more information on the calendar of events for YoungArts Los Angeles, please click here
Please see below for a comprehensive list of upcoming calendar dates for the season. Be sure to check our website at www.youngarts.org for the most up to date information on programs and events.
Regional Programs:
March 28, 2017 – April 2, 2017 | YoungArts Los Angeles
April 20, 2017 | New York Gala
April 25 – 30, 2017 | YoungArts New York
Campus Programs:
Outside the Box
May 20, 2017 | Daniel Bernard Roumain
(Ticket Price: Free)
Salon Series – Miami
March 5, 2017 | Critical Junctures: Visual Arts with Glenn Ligon
April 12, 2017 | Women & Words
May 14, 2017 | Critical Junctures: Dance
(Ticket Price: $10.00 / Alumni: Free)
Links:
2017 YoungArts Winners, Transformations Film Series & Salon Recap, Miami Art Week and YoungArts Week
Happy December! YoungArts is well in to its 2016-17 season, which has already proven to be another exciting year for the organization. On November 16 we announced our 2017 YoungArts Winners, a talented group of 691 young artists in the literary, visual, design and performing arts. As the year comes to a close we look back on the world premiere of Transformations, five short films created by 15 interdisciplinary and multi-generational alumni, two wonderful Salon talks, and look forward to Miami Art Week and our regional programs in 2017.
Congratulations to our 2017 Winners!
The National YoungArts Foundation (YoungArts) is proud to announce the 2017 YoungArts Winners—691 of the nation’s most promising young artists in the literary, visual, design, and performing arts.
Representing artists from 40 states, YoungArts Winners receive cash awards of up to $10,000, opportunities to participate in YoungArts programs nationwide and engage with renowned mentors, and guidance in taking important steps toward achieving their artistic goals. Selected through a blind adjudication process conducted by an independent panel of highly accomplished artists, the 2017 Winners represent the top 8.67% of applications.
Of this year’s 691 Winners, some have been awarded for excellence in multiple disciplines at various levels. Altogether, 713 awards have been attributed: 166 have been named Finalists, the organization’s highest honor, 268 are Honorable Mention and 279 are Merit Winners.
We are thrilled to welcome these winners to the YoungArts family – a network of more than 20,000 artists, many of whom have become leading professionals in their fields.
A complete list of the 2017 Winners, all 15 -18 years old or in grades 10 -12, is available online at http://youngarts.org/winners.
Recounting Campus Programs
Transformations Film Series
On November 5 YoungArts celebrated the world premiere of Transformations, a series of five short films created by 15 interdisciplinary and multi-generational alumni. From physical metamorphosis in present-day New Orleans to youth perspectives on the Black Lives Matter movement, this commissioned project captured the transformative power of creativity.
For more information on the films, click here
Artists as Citizens Salon
The first Salon talk of the season – “Artists as Citizens” – brought over 100 creatives, supporters, community leaders and arts enthusiasts together at Ted’s in the YoungArts Tower for a vibrant conversation about art activism and social practice. “Artists as Citizens” featured internationally renowned artists Teresita Fernandez, Mel Chin, and YoungArts alumnus Chat Travieso (2003 Winner in Visual Arts & U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts), and moderator Carolina García Jayaram, YoungArts President & CEO.
For more information on Artists as Citizens, click here
Rebellion + Innovation Salon
The second talk of the season – “Rebellion + Innovation” – was presented in partnership with the Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami. This salon featured an intimate conversation with world renowned British choreographer Michael Clark, ICA Miami’s Deputy Director and Chief Curator Alex Gartenfeld, and YoungArts alumna Brittany Bailey (2008 YoungArts Winner in Dance). This salon took place in anticipation of the Michael Clark Company's debut performance on Thursday, November 17, 2016 in the YoungArts Jewel Box.
Miami Art Week
To celebrate Miami Art Week 2016, YoungArts will host three exhibitions that feature works of YoungArts alumni alongside world renowned artists.
For more information on Miami Art Week events, click here
YoungArts Week
The 2017 National YoungArts Week will take place from January 8-15, 2017. Every year, approximately 170 Finalists come to Miami to participate in National YoungArts Week. During the weeklong intensive, participants across 10 disciplines take master classes and workshops with internationally renowned leaders in their field, including Mikhail Baryshnikov, Sarah Brightman, Plácido Domingo, Frank Gehry, Jeff Koons, Wynton Marsalis, Rebecca Walker and Carrie Mae Weems, among others.
For more information on the calendar of performances for our signature program, click here
Please see below for a comprehensive list of upcoming calendar dates for the season. Be sure to check our website at www.youngarts.org for the most up to date information on programs and events.
From all of us at YoungArts, we wish you a happy holidays and a wonderful new year!
Regional Programs:
January 8-15, 2017 | YoungArts Week
January 14, 2017 | Miami Gala
February 21-26, 2017 | YoungArts Miami
March 28, 2017 – April 2, 2017 | YoungArts Los Angeles
April 20, 2017 | New York Gala
April 25 – 30, 2017 | YoungArts New York
Campus Programs:
Outside the Box
March 18, 2017 | Daniel Bernard Roumain directs an all-star alumni cast involving live scoring and film
May 20, 2017 | Yara Travieso (2005, Winner in Dance/Ballet, Dance/Choreography)
(Ticket Price: Free)
Salon Series – Miami
February 15, 2017 | Discovery & Emerging Talent: Salaam Remi & Victoria Canal (2016, Winner in Voice & PSA)
April 19, 2017 | Women & Words
May 17, 2017 | Art & the Next Wave: Yara Travieso
(Ticket Price: $10.00 / Alumni: Free)
Links:
Applications, Upcoming Season Programming, and 3rd Annual YoungArts Awareness Day
Happy Fall! YoungArts is gearing up for its 2016-17 season, which promises to be another exciting year for the organization. Kicking off on September 27 with YoungArts Awareness Day, YoungArts has a full calendar of energetic programming and events on the horizon, including signature regional weeks and robust programs that will highlight the organization’s talented alumni.
Visual, Literary, Design and Performing Artists 15-18 Years Old Encouraged to Apply to National YoungArts Foundation
Call For 2017 Applications Open From June 1 to October 14, 2016
The National YoungArts Foundation (YoungArts) is accepting applications (to become a 2017 YoungArts Winner) from June 1, 2016 through October 14, 2016. YoungArts identifies and nurtures the nation’s most accomplished emerging artists in the visual, literary, design and performing arts between the ages of 15 and 18 or in high school grades 10-12, and encourages candidates to submit their applications online at http://www.youngarts.org/apply.
“On behalf of everyone at YoungArts, I encourage young artists from across the country to apply to our 2017 program. Last year, we received a record number of more than 12,000 applications—now, I am calling upon all parents, teachers, coaches and mentors inside and outside the classroom to support the most talented young artists in their communities, and help them take the leap from aspiring to professional artist,” said Lisa Leone, Vice President of Artistic Programs for the National YoungArts Foundation.
Artists may apply to any of YoungArts’ ten disciplines: Cinematic Arts, Dance, Design Arts, Jazz, Classical Music, Photography, Theater, Visual Arts, Voice and Writing. YoungArts Winners are selected annually through a blind adjudication process, and recognized at the Finalist, Honorable Mention or Merit level.
All YoungArts Winners are exposed to professional and educational opportunities, including the chance to work with and learn from renowned artists in their fields—such as Debbie Allen, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Judith Hill, Plácido Domingo, Frank Gehry, Neil Patrick Harris, Jeff Koons, Wynton Marsalis, Salman Rushdie and Carrie Mae Weems—and are eligible to participate in one of YoungArts’ annual regional programs in Miami, Los Angeles and New York, space permitting. YoungArts also offers a strong professional network of more than 20,000 alumni, as well as ongoing professional guidance and the opportunity to perform and exhibit their work at some of the nation’s leading cultural institutions, including the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (Washington, D.C.), Baryshnikov Arts Center (New York), Sotheby’s (New York) and New World Center (Miami).
Each January, YoungArts Finalists are invited to National YoungArts Week, the organization’s signature program held annually in Miami, to participate in a week of intensive master classes and workshops with leading artists. Throughout the week, participants have the opportunity to share their work with the public each evening through performances, readings, exhibitions and screenings, and are further evaluated to receive awards of up to $10,000. Nominations for that year’s U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts—one of the highest honors given to artistically talented high school seniors in the United States—are also made, as YoungArts is the sole nominating agency for this award.
“The YoungArts program not only validated my hard work as an artist, but more importantly, gave me the resources, coaching, and artistic relationships to help me grow as a writer and take my work to new heights. I am so grateful for all the opportunities granted by the program, as they have truly shaped my craft and expanded my artistic perspective,” said Ashley Gong, 2016 YoungArts Winner in Writing from Sandy Hook, CT.
Eligibility and Award Information
To be eligible for recognition by YoungArts, applicants must be between the ages of 15 and 18 or in high school grades 10-12 (as of December 1, 2016); either a United States citizen or a permanent resident; and must demonstrate excellence in the visual, literary, design or performing arts. The applications deadline is October 14, 2016 at 11:59pm EST. If students have any questions, they can reach programming staff at (305) 377-1140 or apply@youngarts.org.
Mark your calendars for YoungArts Awareness Day (Sept. 27, 2016)
YoungArts Awareness Day is a nationwide advocacy campaign that aims to encourage emerging artists to pursue careers in the arts. With an exhibition opening and activities on the Miami campus, as well as coordinated events in New York, Los Angeles and a performance by alumni at the Millennium Stage at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., this third iteration of the campaign will serve as a fantastic kick-off to the upcoming season.
Exciting Season Ahead! Notable calendar dates for the upcoming season are listed below. Be sure to check our website at www.youngarts.org for the most up to date information on programming and event dates.
Regional Programs:
January 14, 2017 | Miami Gala
February 21-26, 2017 | YoungArts Miami
March 28, 2017 – April 2, 2017 | YoungArts Los Angeles
April 20, 2017 | New York Gala
April 25 – 30, 2017 | YoungArts New York
Other Miami programing includes:
Outside the Box
November 5, 2016 | World Premiere of “Transformations”
March 18, 2017 | Daniel Bernard Roumain directs an all-star alumni cast involving live scoring and film
May 20, 2017 | Yara Travieso (2005, Winner in Dance/Ballet, Dance/Choreography)
(Ticket Price: Free)
Salon Series – Miami
October 19, 2016 | Artists as Citizens: Teresita Fernandez & Chat Travieso (2003, Winner in Visual Arts)
November 9, 2016 | Rebellion & Innovation: Michael Clark & Brittany Bailey (2008, Winner in Dance/Modern)
February 15, 2017 | Discovery & Emerging Talent: Salaam Remi & Victoria Canal (2016, Winner in Voice & PSA)
April 19, 2017 | Women & Words
May 17, 2017 | Art & the Next Wave: Yara Travieso
(Ticket Price: $10.00 / Alumni: Free)
Links:
June is an exciting month for the National YoungArts Foundation as it celebrates the 20 U.S. Presidential Scholars, welcomes its new President and CEO, and looks back on two successful regional programs in March and April.
2016 U.S. Presidential Scholars Announced
The National YoungArts Foundation (YoungArts) congratulates the 52nd class of U.S. Presidential Scholars, announced by U.S. Secretary of Education John King. The 20 U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts—one of the nation’s highest honors for high school students and all of whom are YoungArts Winners—were nominated to The White House Commission on Presidential Scholars for their artistic achievement, and selected based on academic and artistic accomplishments, leadership responsibilities, community service and outreach initiatives, and overall creativity.
The award, presented on behalf of the President of the United States, symbolically honors graduating high school seniors of high potential and recognizes up to 161 students each year as U.S. Presidential Scholars. The 2016 U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts are actors, dancers, singers, classical musicians, visual artists, designers and writers, and joining YoungArts alumni and leaders in their fields such as Tony Award-nominated performer and choreographer Desmond Richardson; Los Angeles Music Center President Rachel S. Moore; novelist and National Book Award Finalist Allegra Goodman; Grammy Award-nominated violinist Jennifer Koh; BRAVO’s “Work of Art” winner Abdi Farah; OBIE Award-winning actress Donna Lynne Champlin; and RCA Records award-winning singer/songwriter and Grammy Award-nominated artist Chris Young.
“This year’s class of Presidential Scholars continues a more than 50 year trend of honoring students who have shown excellence in their educational, artistic and civic pursuits,” said U.S. Secretary of Education John King. “Thirty years ago, the program was expanded to include students in the arts, which is critical to providing students with a well-rounded education.” The National YoungArts Foundation, in cooperation with the Commission on Presidential Scholars and The U.S. Department of Education will present an exhibition of scholars’ artwork and writing, as well as a multidisciplinary performance and salute to the 2016 winners.
New Leader for YoungArts
On May 2, 2016, the Board of Trustees of the National YoungArts Foundation announced the appointment of Carolina García Jayaram as President and Chief Executive Officer. Ms. García Jayaram comes to YoungArts from United States Artists (USA), one of the nation’s largest grantmaking and advocacy organizations supporting performing, visual, media and literary artists, where she has served as President and Chief Executive Officer since 2014. Among her other achievements at USA, Carolina oversaw the formation of a new Fellows Alumni Advisory Council, the establishment of new partnerships with leading national organizations and festivals and the production of USA’s annual two-day convening, the Artists Assembly.
Ms. García Jayaram said, “The establishment of the campus in Miami, the expansion of the program’s outreach into other cities, the involvement of magnificent artists as advisors and role models—all this and more has made YoungArts the organization to watch. I’m extremely proud to have been chosen to advance YoungArts in realizing its indispensable mission.”
Recap: YoungArts Miami and YoungArts New York
The National YoungArts Foundation’s 2016 YoungArts Miami program (March 8 to 13) and YoungArts New York program (April 12 to 17) offered YoungArts Winners, selected from a record 12,000 applications from emerging artists ages 15-18 (or in grades 10-12), the rare opportunity to learn, connect and collaborate with fellow peers and luminaries in their artistic fields. During YoungArts Miami, participants worked with renowned artists including director, producer and creator of “The Technique” Joan Scheckel, YoungArts alumni Yara Travieso (2005 Winner in Dance) and Jen Waldman (1993 Winner in Theater), who offered them support, mentorship and encouragement to pursue their passions and careers in the arts. These promising young artists also had the chance to share their talents with the public through multidisciplinary performances, writers’ readings, a cinematic arts screening and a visual arts exhibition on the YoungArts Campus and at The Colony Theatre on Lincoln Road.
YoungArts New York included interdisciplinary workshops, seminars and master classes with renowned leaders in their fields such as Derrick Adams, Carla Dirlikov Canales, Joan Lader, Joan Morgan, Adesola Osakalumi, Sir Salman Rushdie, and Conrad Tao, among others. During YoungArts New York, participants also shared their talents with the public through a series of performances at Baryshnikov Arts Center (BAC), curated by BAC’s Artistic Director and legendary performer Mikhail Baryshnikov, BAC's Artistic Administrator Pedja Muzijevic, and Grammy Award-winning violinist Christian Hebel.
Links:
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