National YoungArts Foundation
/OVERVIEW: The National YoungArts Foundation (NYAF) seeks to nurture accomplished 15- to 18-year-old emerging artists in cinema, dance, design, music, photography, writing, theater and the visual arts. The NYAF provides a variety of mentorship and scholarship programs, master classes, national recognition and other opportunities to further learning and encourage pursuit of careers in the arts.
IP TAKE: The National YoungArts Foundation is one of the few organizations of its size that focuses strictly on the development of teens in the arts. However, groups and arts organizations will want to look elsewhere as the foundation only supports individual artists. This is an accessible funder with a transparent application process.
PROFILE: The National YoungArts Foundation was created in 1981 by Lin and Ted Arison. The foundation “identifies and nurtures the most accomplished young artists in the visual, literary, design and performing arts and assists them at critical junctures in their educational and professional development” and “aspires to create a community of alumni that provides a lifetime of encouragement, opportunity and support.” The foundation’s grantmaking focuses on the development of teens in the arts through its namesake competition. It is not a traditional grant provider. It selects 800 students each year to participate in its week-long program of master classes and performance and showcase opportunities. From there, some students may receive additional cash grants.
Grants for Visual Arts, Dance, Writing, Theater, Music
YoungArts’ national award competition, its flagship program, is open to US residents between the ages of 15–18 or in high school grades 10–12. Each year, about 800 students are selected out of a field of around 12,000 applicants to participate in NYAF's program. Supported disciplines include Classical Music, Dance, Design Arts, Film, Jazz, Photography, Theater, Visual Arts, Voice and Writing. Participants gain access to "master classes with internationally renowned artists, workshops, interdisciplinary activities, performances and exhibitions." The recognition levels vary from "Merit" level, which receives a Certificate of Achievement, a Recommendation Letter, and possible invitation to participate in regional programs, to "Finalist," where winners are eligible for prizes of up to $10,000.
All finalists are also eligible for nomination to the U.S. Presidential Scholars Commission and selection as a U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts. This includes an invitation to participate in National Recognition Week in Washington, D.C. for a medal ceremony and the possibility to "showcase their work in a performance at the Kennedy Center or an exhibition and presentation at the Smithsonian Museum of American Art."
Some of the YoungArts master teachers have included Mikhail Baryshnikov, Jacques d'Amboise, Plácido Domingo, Bill T. Jones, Quincy Jones, and Martin Scorsese. And some of their alumni include Vanessa Williams, Viola Davis, Kerry Washington, Raúl Esparza, Nicki Minaj, Chris Young, Terence Blanchard, Jennifer Koh, choreographer Desmond Richardson, visual artist Hernan Bas, and acclaimed multimedia artist Doug Aitken.
Award winners are also able to apply for microgrants of up to $5,000 monthly to help support “a wide range of artist needs and professional development opportunities, including travel expenses to a residency, registration fees for a conference or class, the purchase of equipment, studio rental fees and more.” Additionally, winners are eligible for other small grants, funded by other foundations, but some of these are discipline specific.
Important Grant Details:
Each discipline has specific portfolio requirements, which can be accessed through the application page. There is also a $35 non-refundable application fee for each category. Deadlines for applications are typically toward the end of the year in mid-October.
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