YoungArts announces 2026 award winners honouring top young artists in the US

YoungArts has revealed the recipients of its 2026 YoungArts Awards, recognising 734 of the United States’ most accomplished young artists in visual, literary and performing arts. Winners, aged 15–18 or in grades 10–12, were selected through a competitive adjudication process from nearly 13,000 applications spanning 10 artistic disciplines.

The annual YoungArts Awards, bestowed since 1981, aim to identify exceptional creative talent and support emerging artists with professional development and career mentorship. Winners earn a 250 dollar cash award and lifetime access to YoungArts resources, including microgrants, mentorship and opportunities for collaboration with cultural partners nationwide.

A distinguished group of 171 winners has been named YoungArts Award Winners with Distinction and invited to participate in National YoungArts Week in Miami earlier this month. There, they will attend workshops, share work with peers and receive guidance from established artists such as dancer Camille A. Brown and photographer Anastasia Samoylova.

YoungArts winners may also become eligible for additional honours, including awards of up to 10,000 dollars and nomination as U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts, one of the highest recognitions for high school seniors.