Empowering the Next Generation of Writers
The 2025–26 season marked a milestone year for YoungArts. With a mission to nurture the next generation of creative voices, YoungArts expanded its reach and deepened its impact—especially for young writers building sustainable careers in the arts.
Record-Breaking Interest and Opportunity
This year saw unprecedented engagement, with nearly 13,000 applications submitted across all disciplines. Writing stood out as the most popular category, drawing 4,654 applicants. In a continued effort to increase accessibility, over 1,200 applicants received fee waivers, ensuring that financial barriers did not limit participation.
From this highly competitive pool, 116 exceptional writers were selected as winners, collectively receiving $88,500 in unrestricted cash awards. Among them, 22 of the top writers earned the opportunity to attend the prestigious National YoungArts Week in Miami this January.
A Transformative Week in Miami
National YoungArts Week brought together 164 of the nation’s most talented young artists for seven days of immersive creative development. Writers participated in intensive workshops, one-on-one coaching, and interdisciplinary collaborations designed to expand both craft and perspective.
A highlight of the week was the Writers’ Reading and Film Screening, held at the historic Lyric Theater. With 282 attendees and a live-streamed audience, the event celebrated the voices and stories of these emerging artists.
For many participants, this experience extended beyond performance. The 22 writers were also published in the 2026 YoungArts Anthology & Catalogue—often their first professional publication—distributed in print and digitally to a growing audience.
Learning from Industry Leaders
A cornerstone of the program is direct engagement with accomplished professionals. This season, 153 artists led sessions across disciplines, including 13 renowned figures in writing, publishing, performance, and criticism.
For young writers on the cusp of their careers, these interactions provide more than technical guidance—they offer validation, inspiration, and a tangible vision of what’s possible in the arts.
Beyond the Week: Lifelong Support
Winning YoungArts is not a one-time achievement—it’s an entry point into a lifelong creative community. Participants join a network of nearly 24,000 alumni and gain access to ongoing opportunities including mentorship, residencies, grants, and professional development.
Programs like YoungArts Post and the Artist Resource Collective further support artists with networking tools and financial education, helping them build sustainable, independent careers.
Listening and Evolving
Feedback from participants continues to shape the program’s evolution. While satisfaction remains overwhelmingly high, artists expressed a desire for more interdisciplinary collaboration. In response, YoungArts expanded cross-discipline engagement in 2026 and plans to continue building on this momentum in future programming.
The Impact, in Their Own Words
The true measure of YoungArts’ impact is best captured by its participants.
“YoungArts was the greenhouse where my writing learned how to stretch toward the light.” — Dev Rai, 2026 Writing Winner
Kaitlyn Bai, another 2026 winner, described the experience as transformative:
“If no more than eleven pages’ worth of my words had been enough to get me here… then perhaps my words really were worth writing, my voice worth hearing.”
Her reflection captures what YoungArts does best: it doesn’t just recognize talent—it ignites belief.
Looking Ahead
As YoungArts continues to grow, its commitment remains clear: to provide young artists with the tools, community, and confidence they need to thrive. With expanding opportunities and a deepening network of support, the future for these emerging writers—and the stories they will tell—has never been brighter.
