Alliance for Young Artists & Writers

The Alliance for Young Artists & Writers is a nonprofit organization formed in 1994, to support aspiring young artists and writers by administering the prestigious Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. The mission of the Alliance is to identify, motivate, and validate the next generation of artists and writers. [ [http://www.artandwriting.org The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards ] ]

The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards

Founded in 1923 by Maurice R. Robinson, The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, administered by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, have encouraged more than 13 million students; recognized more than 2.5 million young artists and writers; and distributed more than $25 million in awards and scholarships. Each year, more than 77,000 students in grades 7 – 12 participate in The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards.

The Awards are structured to identify and recognize students through regional award designations (including Gold Key, Silver Key and Honorable Mention) and then national designations (Gold Award, Silver Award). The regional awards are administered by a network of affiliates that is composed of school systems and school boards, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, foundations, arts agencies, businesses, libraries, teacher councils and institutions of higher education that share a commitment to identifying emerging artists and writers in their communities.

The process begins across the country as young artists and writers submit more than 100,000 creative works to Regional Affiliates. The most outstanding works of art and writing (Gold Key and Silver Key winners) from each region are forwarded to the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers in New York City to be reviewed on a national level. Panels of professional jurors review approximately 8,000 works of art and 2,000 manuscripts to select the 1,200 national award recipients. 12 Portfolio Gold Award students receive national recognition, representing the highest level of achievement for graduating seniors. Approximately 300 Portfolio Silver Award students receive national recognition annually.

Portfolio Gold and Silver Award recipients become eligible for school-specific, tuition scholarships at more than [http://www.artandwriting.org/resources/ 50] colleges. Based on the recognition bestowed by The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, these colleges collaborate with the Alliance to make an additional $3.25 million in financial aid available annually. The Awards program is open to students in 7th through 12th grades from public, private and parochial schools throughout the U.S. (and its territories), as well as American-run schools abroad and community programs also serving eligible student populations.

election Panels of The Awards

The selection panels for both regional and national levels of The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards are composed of artists, writers, curators, critics, educators and professionals from the nation’s leading creative industries, some of whom are past award recipients. Notable past jurors include: Robert Frost, William Saroyan, Frank McCourt, Kiki Smith, George Plimpton, Korva Coleman, Esmeralda Santiago, Tatiana von Furstenberg, Bill Murray, Judy Blume, Faith Ringgold, and Billy Collins. Panelists look for works that best exemplify originality, technical skill and the emergence of a personal voice and vision.

The National Celebration Events

The Alliance’s recognition of outstanding young artists and writers culminates in a year-end national program event in New York City where they meet their creative peers, view and read the work of other exceptional teens from across the nation, and are introduced to professionals in New York City’s creative industries at the National Celebration Events. The Alliance invites all the national award winners to attend the national events.

The National Art Exhibition, features selections from the Portfolio Gold Awards in Art, Photography and Writing. The exhibition provides an important creative outlet for showcasing the artistic vision of teenagers with exceptional potential in a collection of essays, poems, stories, paintings, drawings, sculpture, mixed media, ceramics, photography and design.

Creative Industries Workshops are developed with special attention to providing a mix of artistic mediums and literary genres. During 2007 the Alliance hosted workshops hosted in 44 venues throughout New York City. They included an interactive workshop and learning how to use XSI 3D design software to Design for Video Games and Film; a tour of New York’s premier public radio station WNYC; a discussion on how to find the appropriate gallery to exhibit ones work; as well as visits to Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, Studio Museum of Harlem, Whitney Museum of Art, and The Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art; among dozens of other activities.

Visual Arts Categories

*Art Portfolio
*Animation
*Ceramics & Glass
*Computer Art
*Design
*Digital Imagery
*Drawing
*Mixed Media
*Painting
*Photography
*Photography Portfolio
*Printmaking
*Sculpture
*Video & Film

Writing Categories

*Dramatic Script
*General Writing Portfolio
*Humor
*Journalism
*Nonfiction Portfolio
*Novel
*Personal Essay/Memoir
*Poetry
*Science Fiction/Fantasy
*Short Story
*Short Short Story

Young Artists Program

The Young Artists Program (YAP) of The Alliance for Young Artists & Writers is funded through a leadership grant from the [http://www.jackkentcookefoundation.org/ Jack Kent Cooke Foundation] . The program aims to sustain and raise the level of achievement of low-income students who receive Gold Keys in The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. YAP identifies and incentivizes low-income, high achieving students in grades 7-11 to take their work to the next level by providing them with tools, resources, and additional opportunities to help them think critically about their work.

YAP has four components:

I. Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Awards:
In 2008, The Alliance will administer 15 cash awards of $2,500 to support the creative development of younger participants striving for national level recognition. Awards are given to Gold Key recipients who demonstrate the following criteria:
*Goals in the arts, including clear statement of what art forms they wish to study, programs they are investigating, and overall career interests.
*Parental support for young artists or writers in creative studies and career paths.
*High quality of artwork or writing.
*Demonstrated financial need: young artists and writers who would not otherwise be able to afford such an intensive experience.II. Artistic Profile Research:
In February 2007, the Alliance commissioned an Artistic Profile Research Project, using data collected from award recipients to identify the indicators for potential, the path, and the resources needed for youth with creative talent. In June 2007 the Alliance released "Portrait of the Artist as a Young Person" authored by Dr. Dennie Palmer Wolf, Sir Ken Robinson, Dr. Steven Holochwost and Dr. Thomas Wolf. Follow up research is on-going.
III. Spark Publication and Web Site:
Every year the Alliance produces Spark, a publication and Web showcase of the work of 7th and 8th grade national award recipients, to inspire eligible younger participants to develop their own creative talent.
IV. Summer Provider Network:
The Alliance has developed a network of recommended workshops, classes, and camps throughout the country to help talented teenagers (e.g., Interlochen Summer Arts Camp, The Putney School, Parsons Pre-College, School of Visual Arts, UVA Young Writers Workshop, Kenyon Young Writers Workshop, Columbia University Pre-College, and NYU Pre-College).

Notable Alumni

*Richard Avedon
*John Baldessari
*Peter Beagle
*Harry Bertoia
*Mel Bochner
*Truman Capote
*John Currin
*Maureen Daly
*Paul Davis
*Michael Doyle
*Frances Farmer
*Carolyn Forche
*Rodney Greenblat
*Red Grooms
*Richard Haas
*John Howard Sanden
*Robert Indiana
*Luis Jimenez
*Dwight Johnson
*John Lithgow
*Bernard Malamud
*Joyce Maynard
*Robert McCloskey
*Sue Miller
*Joyce Carol Oates
*Tom Otterness
*Philip Pearlstein
*Sylvia Plath
*Zac Posen
*Richard Rappaport
*Robert Redford
*Thane Rosenbaum
*David Salle
*Zak Smith
*Jean Stafford
*Robert Trebor
*Ned Vizzini
*Andy Warhol
*Idelle Weber
*Charles White

[ [http://www.artandwriting.org/alumhome.htm The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards ] ]

External links

* [http://www.artandwriting.org/resources/ Alliance scholarship provider network]
* [http://www.jackkentcookefoundation.org/ Jack Kent Cooke Foundation]

References