Announcing the 2019 YoungArts Winners

National YoungArts Foundation Recognizes 710 Artists for Excellence in the Visual, Literary, Design and Performing Arts

The National YoungArts Foundation is proud to announce the 2019 YoungArts winners—710 of the nation’s most promising young artists in the visual, literary, design and performing arts. Selected from thousands of applications and representing artists from 44 states, YoungArts winners gain access to one of the most comprehensive programs for emerging artists in the United States, offering financial, professional and artistic development opportunities over the course of their careers. A complete list of the 2019 winners, all 15–18 years old or in grades 10–12, is available online at youngarts.org/winners.  

View a complete list of 2019 Winners in alphabetical order.
View a complete list of 2019 Winners by award level.

The 2019 winners will receive cash prizes of up to $10,000, access to mentors and opportunities to share their work with the public at renowned institutions such as the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (Washington, D.C.), The Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York), Baryshnikov Arts Center (New York) and New World Center (Miami). From January 6–13, the 2019 YoungArts Finalists—representing the organization’s highest award level—will learn from renowned artists including Tony Award winner Joan Lader; Grammy Award-winning percussionist Joseph Gramley; Academy Award-winning film editor Doug Blush; Obie Award-winning theater artists Steven Sapp and Mildred Ruiz; award-winning journalist, author and provocative cultural critic Joan Morgan; poet John Murillo; opera singers Daniela Mack and Alek Shrader; US Artist Fellow and Princess Grace award-winning choreographer Rosie Herrera; bestselling author Kristen Simmons; and award-winning photographer Lori Hepner, among many others.
 
“On behalf of YoungArts, I want to congratulate all of the 2019 winners for their achievements at such an early stage in their careers,” said Sarah Arison, YoungArts Board Chair. “We believe that every artist should be empowered to pursue a life in the arts, and we are excited to welcome our winners to the YoungArts family. This is just the beginning and we look forward to helping provide them with the valuable opportunities and support they will need to thrive throughout their artistic journeys.”

Selected through a blind adjudication process conducted by an independent panel of highly accomplished artists, the 2019 winners represent the top 10 percent of applications. Of this year’s 710 winners, some have been awarded for excellence in multiple disciplines at various levels.  Altogether, 725 awards have been attributed: 163 have been named Finalists, the organization’s highest honor; 268 are Honorable Mentions and 294 are Merit winners.

This year’s Finalists have the opportunity to participate in the 38th annual National YoungArts Week in Miami January 6–13, 2019. All winners are eligible to participate in YoungArts’ regional programs, including YoungArts Miami (February 19–24, 2019), YoungArts Los Angeles (March 26–31, 2019) and YoungArts New York (April 23–28, 2019), and will join a professional network of distinguished artists.

Finalists are also eligible for nomination to the White House-appointed Commission on Presidential Scholars. As the sole nominating agency, YoungArts selects 60 Finalists each year, 20 of whom are invited to become U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts, one of the highest honors for graduating high school seniors.

National YoungArts Week
National YoungArts Week, the organization’s signature program, aims to foster interdisciplinary collaboration and community while offering Finalists the guidance needed to prepare for the next stage of their artistic development. During the free, weeklong intensive, artists across 10 disciplines participate in master classes and workshops with internationally recognized leaders in their fields, such as Ansin Stewart Master Teacher Gavin Creel and Florence Stern Memorial Master Teacher Wendy Whelan. Throughout the week, Finalists’ work will be further adjudicated to determine additional award levels.

Each evening, audiences can experience the work of the next generation of artists through performances in voice, jazz, theater, dance and classical music, as well as film screenings at New World Center, writers’ readings in the YoungArts Jewel Box, and a visual arts, photography and design exhibition curated by Rosie Gordon-Wallace of Diaspora Vibe Cultural Arts Incubator in the YoungArts Gallery. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit youngarts.org/yaw.

National YoungArts Week culminates with the annual Backyard Ball performance and gala. Presented by Harry Winston, Inc., the artistic black tie event is the organization’s largest fundraiser, bringing together prominent artists, community leaders, philanthropists and celebrities to celebrate all 2019 YoungArts winners.
 
Performances will be streamed live on youngarts.org and on YoungArts' Facebook page.
 
Tickets are now on sale for National YoungArts Week. 

Performances at New World Center
500 17th St., Miami Beach, FL 33139
 
Monday, January 7 | 8 PM
Classical, Jazz & Pop Voice Performance
Buy tickets
 
Tuesday, January 8 | 8 PM
Jazz & Theater Performance
Buy tickets

Wednesday, January 9 | 8 PM
Dance Performance & Film Screenings
Buy tickets

Thursday, January 10 | 8:30 PM
Classical Music Concert
Buy tickets

On the YoungArts Campus
2100 Biscayne Blvd., Miami, FL 33137

Friday, January 11
Writers’ Readings | 6 PM
Free RSVP 

Design, Photography & Visual Arts Exhibition Opening | 7:30 PM
Free RSVP

Support
YoungArts Week is supported by the YoungArts National Premier Partner Carnival Foundation; the YoungArts Week Performance Partner SunTrust; the Design Arts Discipline Partner, Arquitectonica; the Visual Arts Discipline Partner, Related Group; Jay Franke and David Herro, Sandra and Tony Tamer; Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs, The Cultural Affairs Council, the Mayor and Board of County Commissioners and the Miami-Dade Tourist Development Council; Wells Fargo; The City of Miami Beach, Cultural Affairs Program, Cultural Arts Council; Miami Downtown Development Authority; and the Florida Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture.