YoungArts recently announced the 2026 YoungArts award winners.

Genevieve Vasquez, a student at Parkland High School was one of 734 of the nation’s most accomplished young visual, literary and performing artists representing 39 states and the District of Columbia.

Vasquez won in the 2026 Writing/Poetry category.

Bestowed annually since 1981, the YoungArts Award is the only award in the nation that recognizes exceptional young talent across disciplines and affirms their pursuit of a professional life in the arts.

Recipients become part of a lifelong community of peers and mentors, with access to critical resources that help sustain their creative practices throughout their careers.

A complete list of the 2026 winners is available online at youngarts.org/winners.

“If we give young people the validation to pursue artistic careers, then the arts in the United States will continue to thrive,” YoungArts President and CEO Clive Chang said. “The YoungArts Awards not only affirm their interests and talents, but give them the support networks and resources that allow them to envision a long-term path and sustain it. We are thrilled to recognize the extraordinary creativity, imagination and talent of this year’s award winners and to champion them for the rest of their lifetimes.”

YoungArts award winners, all ages 15-18 or in grades 10-12, are selected through a highly competitive application reviewed by panels of esteemed artists in a rigorous adjudication process.

All YoungArts winners have demonstrated exceptional technique, a strong sense of artistry and an extraordinary commitment to developing their craft.

Winners were selected from a record number of nearly 13,000 applications across 10 artistic disciplines: classical music, dance, design, film, jazz, photography, theater, visual arts, voice and writing.

The winners join a distinguished community of artists who receive creative and professional development support throughout their careers, including microgrants and financial awards, mentorship and professional development opportunities and collaborations with major cultural partners nationwide.

They also become part of an intergenerational network of more than 23,000 past awardees and accomplished artists including Daniel Arsham, Jon Batiste, Terence Blanchard, Camille A. Brown, Timothée Chalamet, Viola Davis, Amanda Gorman, Denyce Graves, Judith Hill, Jennifer Koh, Tarell Alvin McCraney, Andrew Rannells, Desmond Richardson, Jean Shin, Hunter Schafer and Shaina Taub.

Each winner receives a monetary award of $250 in recognition of their achievement.

From this year’s cohort, a select group of 171 artists spanning disciplines have been named YoungArts Award Winners with Distinction and are invited to participate in National YoungArts Week, held Jan. 4–11, in Miami, Fla. During the week, participants share their work with peers; attend interdisciplinary classes and workshops; receive mentorship from leading artists and are considered for additional awards of up to $10,000.

Notable guest artists for 2026 include dancer Camille A. Brown, poet Mahogany L. Brown, photographer Anastasia Samoylova and artist Kennedy Yanko.

Winners with Distinction are also eligible to be nominated as U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts, one of the highest honors for high school seniors.

As the sole nominating agency, YoungArts submits up to 60 nominees to the White House Commission on Presidential Scholars, from which 20 students are selected.

Select YoungArts Award winners may also participate in YoungArts Labs, all-expenses-paid learning intensives with field-defining artists in Los Angeles and New York.

YoungArts – the national foundation for the advancement of artists – was established in 1981 by Lin and Ted Arison to identify exceptional young artists, amplify their potential and invest in their lifelong creative freedom. YoungArts provides space, funding, mentorship, professional development and community throughout artists’ careers.

For more information, visit youngarts.org, Instagram, YouTube and Facebook.