This January, 164 YoungArts winners with distinction convened in Miami for 2026 National YoungArts Week. Throughout the week, artists shared their work, learned from recognized guest artists and built lasting connections across disciplines. Below, several winners reflect on their experiences, sharing what the week meant to them and the learnings they will carry forward in their artistic journeys.
“My YoungArts experience has certainly been one of the most special experiences of my life. YoungArts week provides an environment I don’t think I’ll ever find again, one where people from around the country come together because of their passion for art. Everyone is so supportive of each other, since we understand what it feels like to dedicate our lives to our craft. Walking out on stage to perform and being cheered so loud I couldn’t even hear myself is a feeling that is unforgettable.
It’s also really special to come together with people in my discipline. As classical musicians, many of our inspirations and actions are quite similar. But there are also so many differences and unique flavors to our music and our identities that really stood out to me and deeply inspired me. Being around people who are so knowledgeable and distinctly artistic really lets me see how important art is to our world.
Returning from YoungArts, I am immediately inspired to work even harder to achieve my artistic dreams and goals. Being a part of YoungArts means so much to me and really shows me that there are people there to support me along the way, and that there are people out there that care about artistry as much as I do.”
– Ian Lin (2026 Classical Music)
“On our last day, all 21 of us dancers sat in a circle with the panelists in the same conference room we started in. We were asked what surprised us most this week. People shared so many different answers. For me, it was realizing that being a dancer is actually an option. That being an artist is something I’m allowed to claim. I knew it in my head, but somewhere in my heart I never fully let myself believe it. For so many modern dancers, hip-hop dancers, ballerinas, the path feels clear. Companies, conservatories, college. But if you ask many Indian classical dancers what’s next, the answers are usually pre-med, engineering, business. Being surrounded by almost 170 dancers, musicians, and creatives who believed not only in themselves, but in me too, changed something deep inside me.”
– Lekha Wood (2025, 2026 Dance)
“YoungArts was a transformative experience that significantly shaped my growth as an artist and designer. Through the thoughtful coordination, diverse panel sessions, and inspiring guest artist talks, I was exposed to forms of design and ways of thinking that I had never encountered before. I learned that design is not limited to one medium or path, but instead thrives through experimentation, collaboration, and community engagement.
Meeting professionals who openly shared their creative journeys, including their uncertainties and failures, helped me feel more confident in embracing exploration within my own practice. The interdisciplinary environment encouraged me to step outside my comfort zone and reconsider what design can be and who it can serve. Because of YoungArts, I now approach my work with a broader perspective, greater curiosity, and a stronger commitment to pursuing design as a meaningful and evolving career. Thank you so much YoungArts, truly!”
– Kayla Kim (2026 Design)
“It’s so crazy to me that all I had to do was submit a piece of my work and now I will have access to YoungArts literally for the rest of my life. It’s actually life changing.”
– Tullan Portock (2026 Film)
“YoungArts was a turning point for me. It pushed me to take my work seriously, trust my voice, and see myself as part of a larger community of artists who care deeply about what they create. Being surrounded by inspiring peers and mentors helped me grow not just in skill, but in confidence and clarity about who I am and what I want to say through my art.”
– Hudson Hillin (2026 Film)
“YoungArts helped restore my confidence as an artist. During a time when I felt like giving up on my art, YoungArts helped remind me that my art is important and that my art can and will change the world.”
– Jeremiah Price (2026 Jazz)
“YoungArts was truly a unique, life-changing experience. I know that it will continue to change my life in many ways for as long as I live. I feel so grateful to have participated in this week of magic and creativity. I can’t wait to keep honing my craft and see what I can do.”
– Sofi Longa (2026 Jazz)
“My YoungArts experience was transformative both artistically and personally. Being surrounded by peers who are deeply committed to their craft pushed me to take creative risks and to view my work with greater intention and confidence. Through daily sessions, feedback from accomplished artists, and meaningful conversations with faculty and fellow participants, I gained new tools, perspectives, and a stronger understanding of my artistic voice. YoungArts created a space where my work was taken seriously and where growth was encouraged through curiosity, discipline, and generosity. This experience reaffirmed my commitment to my art and gave me the confidence to pursue future opportunities with clarity and purpose. I am deeply grateful to the donors whose support made this experience possible and whose belief in young artists continues to shape the next generation.”
– Marilyn Leal (2026 Photography)
“I understand now what people mean when they call YoungArts a life-changing experience. I come from the middle of the country where there is generally less opportunity for professional development in theater and less chances for young artists to express themselves. Partly because of my location, I haven’t had the chance to attend workshops or events at a higher level and YoungArts gave me the ability to. I think the best part of YoungArts to me was the ability to work with and meet the other winners in my discipline. Seeing myself with a group of such talented individuals who have achieved so much has made me reconsider how I felt about my talent and ability. With this opportunity and the connections I have made from YoungArts, I have gained the confidence to pursue what I love when it previously seemed pointless and unrealistic. YoungArts has affirmed my future for me.”
– Hosannah Wellman (2026 Theater)
“YoungArts Week gave me confidence, since I was supported by loving and curious people who were able to give me the confidence that I was lacking while giving me enough to bring back change toward my life. I used to struggle with speaking in front of people, and at school, I would never talk in class and had a pass when it came to presentations. It had been an issue for my entire life, and YoungArts was the turning point. Now at my first week of school, I have raised my hand and shared my ideas with the confidence that I had newly found.”
– Sophia Ye (2026 Visual Arts)
“YoungArts was truly a life changing experience for me. I learned so much from the panelists and so many tools that I am going to use throughout my entire career. I also made so many amazing friends that I feel like I’m going to have for the rest of my life. YoungArts Week really reminded me how much I love music and the arts and the community it creates. Sometimes getting caught up in school and daily life I forget that music is what I want to be doing. YoungArts reminded me that it’s my priority and that this whole other world of artists exists. That there are so many people out there my age that have the same love and passion for their art, that have the same goals as me, and that value art as much as I do. I feel like a lot of people don’t see art as a “real” job or as something you can’t really make a living off of, but YoungArts reminded us of the opposite. Pretty much that art is the best job and it is actually important. I am also so grateful and astonished by all of the connections and opportunities that are now available to me because of YoungArts. I know that down the line if I need help, I can reach out and continue to create art. The week was so eye-opening and inspiring and it just left me wanting to learn and explore more of everything the arts have to offer.”
– Naima Nascimento (2026 Voice)
“I have played the violin and piano for over a decade, but I always compartmentalized that part of my life away from my writing. Sharing a fiction piece centered on the technical nuances of classical music with the other discipline winners was a terrifying test of authenticity. Receiving a standing ovation from the musicians—the very people who know that world best—validated my voice in a way no contest win ever could. It proved to me that the rhythm of my prose is inextricably linked to my musical training. This mutual recognition was the heartbeat of the week; from being moved to tears by the vocalists’ raw vulnerability to walking offstage and seeing a visual artist’s charcoal sketch of me reading my work, I realized we were all speaking the same language through different mediums. This community witnessed me in my entirety, and that has given me the confidence to write without holding back.”
– Hayden Park (2026 Writing)
“YoungArts was the greenhouse where my writing learned how to stretch toward the light.”
– Dev Rai (2026 Writing)
Keep Exploring 2026 National YoungArts Week
- Watch the performances and writers’ readings on YouTube.
- View the Film showcase on Vimeo.
- Browse the exhibition on Bloomberg Connects or view the Anthology + Catalogue featuring works by YoungArts winners with distinction in Design, Photography, Visual Arts and Writing.