National YoungArts Foundation Announces 2015 YoungArts Winners
786 Students from 46 States Recognized for Excellence in the Literary, Visual, Design and Performing Arts Finalists to Participate in 2015 National YoungArts Week in Miami from January 4 to 11, 2015
MIAMI, FL (November 20, 2014) – Today, the National YoungArts Foundation (YoungArts) announces its 2015 YoungArts Winners. Out of more than 11,000 applications, 786 young artists from 46 states are being recognized for their outstanding work and accomplishments in one of ten disciplines across the literary, visual, design and performing arts. All Winners will have the opportunity to participate in YoungArts programs designed to support young artists at critical junctures in their careers and to encourage them to pursue a life in the arts. A complete list of the Winners is available online here: www.youngarts.org/our-program.
"I congratulate all 786 Winners and look forward to welcoming the Finalists to our campus in January and getting to know this vibrant and passionate group of artists during National YoungArts Week," stated Paul T. Lehr, President & CEO of the National YoungArts Foundation. "These are our nation’s next big names, from Hollywood to Broadway, from museum walls to fashion runways, and I always look forward to seeing where all of our Winners end up."
YoungArts Winners are designated into three categories–Finalist, Honorable Mention and Merit–and are selected through a blind adjudication process. Some Winners are awarded for excellence in more than one discipline. 2015 Finalists have the opportunity to participate in the 34th annual National YoungArts Week, which takes place in Miami from January 4 to 11, 2015, and all 2015 Winners are eligible to participate in YoungArts’ regional programs – YoungArts Los Angeles (February 17-22, 2015), YoungArts Miami (March 10-15, 2015), and YoungArts New York (April 27 – May 3, 2015) – space permitting.
All Winners become part of the YoungArts alumni network of more than 20,000 artists, many of whom have gone on to become leading professionals in their fields, including visual artists Doug Aitken and Daniel Arsham; musicians Terrence Blanchard and Jennifer Koh; filmmaker Doug Blush; recording artists Josh Groban and Chris Young; writers Jenji Kohan and Sam Lipsyte; actors Viola Davis, Andrew Rannells and Kerry Washington; renowned choreographer Desmond Richardson; and recent So You Think You Can Dance winner Ricky Ubeda. YoungArts supports its alumni in a number of ways, such as providing them with opportunities to participate in national programs, local events and the three-time Emmy-nominated HBO Family Documentary Special, YoungArts MasterClass; seeking ways to promote their artistic ideas and projects; and establishing connections for them with YoungArts’ partners around the country, including the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Winners are also eligible to become U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts, as YoungArts is the exclusive nominating agency for this high honor for artistically talented graduating high school seniors. 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 786 Winners, approximately 170 Finalists from across the nation will come together for National YoungArts Week. During National YoungArts Week, Finalists will participate in a week of intense master classes and workshops with internationally renowned artists. Past Master Teachers include Debbie Allen, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Plácido Domingo, Frank Gehry, Bobby McFerrin, Robert Redford, James Rosenquist, Marisa Tomei and Bruce Weber, to name a few. Throughout the week, Finalist’s work will be further adjudicated to determine additional award levels including a monetary award of up to $10,000. Students will also have the opportunity to share their work with the public through performances and exhibitions at New World Center and on the YoungArts campus.
YoungArts Week is supported by our National Premier Sponsor Carnival Foundation; the 2015 YoungArts Week Performance Sponsor SunTrust; as well as Aon; James Royal Palm Hotel; Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners; the Miami Herald; MIAMI Magazine; and the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture.
In celebration of the 2015 YoungArts Winners, the YoungArts Backyard Ball Performance and Gala will be held on the YoungArts campus for the second time on Saturday, January 10, 2015. Co-chaired by Bruce and Tracey Berkowitz and Elizabeth and Facundo Bacardi, the evening will feature an alumni performance directed by Tony Award-winning dancer, choreographer and YoungArts Artistic Advisor Bill T. Jones, and emceed by actress and YoungArts Alumna Zuzanna Szadkowski (1997 Winner in Theater and U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts).
We would like to extend a warm THANK YOU to all the individuals and organizations who helped us celebrate YoungArts Awareness Day. Through your support, we were able to spread the word about the importance of arts education. We were inspired by the overwhelming response and hope you will continue to #KeepArtsAlive!
A special thank you to those who donated in support of YoungArts Awareness Day:
Books and Books; Betty B. Chapman; Albert Clark; Tracey Corwin; Ann and Felipe De Las Pozas; Irene DuMaurier-Oleksiak; Michael and Amy Goldbas; Dennis A. Gorman; Agnes Gund; Jennifer and David Lee Heinemann; P. Todd Heustess; Mark and Ann Hicks; Linda and William Ho; The James Royal Palm; Kalyn Chapman James; Brian E. and Suzanne L. Keeley; Dr. Valerica Maican; Marvin L. Meitus; Mark T. and Sharon Nash; Soledad Picón-Fernandez; Ellen B. Pilelsky and Roy Oppenheim; Alex Pline; Joseph S. and Norma Rosenberg; Denis Sheeran; Charles and Sandra Simon; E. Roe and Penelope W. Stamps; Gina and Doug Steffen; Gail Waxenberg and Dale Chapman Webb.
Check out a some of the highlights from the day below.
MIAMI - In Miami, the YoungArts Awareness Day celebration kicked off with a breakfast where YoungArts received official proclamations by both the City of Miami and Miami-Dade County declaring September 8th YoungArts Awareness Day. Guests were taken on a tour of the latest piece of art on the campus - a mural by YoungArts Alumnus Lee Pivnik and muralist Douglas "Hox" Hoekzema. The day continued with pop-up performances around town, and the premiere screening of the HBO show Joshua Bell: YoungArts MasterClass, followed by a salon sponsored by the Knight Foundation and performance by the Grammy award-winning violinist and YoungArts Alumni.
NEW YORK - In New York, YoungArts alumni gathered in Rockefeller Center to kick off YoungArts Awareness Day at the Today Show/NBC. That same afternoon alumni gathered at Time Warner Center in Columbus Circle and treated guests to a wonderful performance.
LOS ANGELES - In Los Angeles, YoungArts alumni popped-up at the 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica and wowed shoppers with their artistic talents.
NASHVILLE - We were there when YoungArts Alumnus and country music star Chris Young visited the Nashville School of the Arts on YoungArts Awareness Day to donate $30,000 for the school's new auditorium and speak about the important of music education!
The National YoungArts Foundation identifies and supports the next generation of artists, and contributes to the cultural vitality of the nation by investing in the artistic development of talented young artists in the literary, visual, design and performing arts.
Links:
As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the US Presidential Scholars Program, we would like to congratulate the 20 Scholars in the Arts, all 2014 YoungArts Winners, who were nominated to The White House Commission on Presidential Scholars by YoungArts, and selected based on academic, civic and artistic achievement.
The award, presented on behalf of the President of the United States, is the highest honor that can be bestowed upon an artistically talented graduating high school senior. These talented young artists will showcase their work at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and at The Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC.
Please join us for free performances and exhibitions in Washington DC June 23rd and 24th:
Monday, June 23, 2014, 8:00 pm / A Salute to the 2014 U.S. Presidential Scholars
An Evening of Performances by the 2014 U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts Directed by Bill T. Jones
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Concert Hall
2700 F Street NW, Washington, D.C.
Tuesday, June 24, 2014, 7:30 pm / An Exhibition of Works
Exhibition of Artwork, Readings, and Screenings by 2014 U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts
The Smithsonian Institution, S. Dillon Ripley Center
1100 Jefferson Drive, SW
Event is FREE. Seating is limited and on a first come, first seated basis, with priority given to Scholars & their families. Exhibition will be on view through August 7, 2014.
For more information or to RSVP please go to youngarts.org.
Thank you for your support of the next generation of artists and the future of the arts!
It has been an exciting start to 2014! YoungArts hosted its 33rd annual YoungArts Week in Miami January 6 - 12, 2014. The organization welcomed 171 young artists to participate in master classes, exhibitions, and performances throughout the city. The culmination event YoungArts Backyard Ball, the largest fundraiser of the year, took place on the YoungArts campus on January 11. The Gala and special alumni performance brought together more than 800 notable guests to celebrate the artistic excellence of the 2014 YoungArts Finalists.
The evening raised significant funds to support the mission of YoungArts - to identify and support the next generation of artists, and contribute to the cultural vitality of the nation by investing in the artistic development of talented young artists in the literary, performing, visual and design arts.
In February, we celebrated our Miami regional winners with over 100 students participating in master classes, workshops and performance opportunities.
Next Up.....
YoungArts Los Angeles (March 18 - 23) and YoungArts New York (April 1 - April 7). Stay tuned for schedule details.
Over the past 32 years, YoungArts has provided invaluable resources to talented high school students who aspire to a career in the visual, performing and literary arts. YoungArts has honored more than 17,000 alumni. YoungArts also has facilitated more than $150 million in college scholarship awards, and provided life-changing opportunities at pivotal points in these emerging young artists’ development.
Thank you for your support and help in advancing our mission.
We are pleased to announce this year's YoungArts Week dates. The national program of YoungArts takes place in Miami each year and enables approximately 170 participants in the YoungArts program to work with distinguished master teachers and mentors. Like all YoungArts programs, YoungArts Week is designed to support young artists at a critical juncture in their lives and encourage their decision to pursue a career in the arts.
This week highlights the arts across 10 disciplines and celebrates these winners for their accomplishments. We are grateful to our supporters who enable us to provide opportunities to these students.
MONDAY, JANUARY 6
POP, JAZZ + CLASSICAL VOICE
Performances by the 2014 YoungArts Finalists in pop, jazz & classical voice
TUESDAY, JANUARY 7
THEATER + JAZZ INSTRUMENTAL
Performances by the 2014 YoungArts Finalists in theater and and the 2014 YoungArts Finalists in jazz instrumental
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8
DANCE + FILM
Performances by the 2014 YoungArts Finalists in dance and film screenings by the 2014 YoungArts Finalists in cinematic arts
THURSDAY, JANUARY 9
CHAMBER MUSIC
Performances by the 2014 YoungArts Finalists in classical music
FRIDAY, JANUARY 10, 6:00
ART, DESIGN + PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION OPENING
+ WRITERS' READINGS
Exhibition by the 2014 YoungArts Finalists in visual arts, design and photography, and readings by the 2014 YoungArts Finalists in writing
FRIDAY, JANUARY 10
JAZZ COMBO
Performances by the 2014 YoungArts Finalists in Jazz and a special guest artist
SATURDAY, JANUARY 11
YOUNGARTS PERFORMANCE + GALA
The YoungArts Performance + Gala is the culmination of YoungArts Week, with an alumni performance directed by Tony Award-winning choreographer Bill T. Jones
SUNDAY, JANUARY 12
DESIGN NOW + DESIGN FUTURES
with Paola Antonelli + Frank Gehry
For more information please visit www.youngarts.org
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