YoungArts

This annual week- long event held in New York City is a truly unique experience dedicated to furthering the YoungArts experience for the Gold and Silver award winners. These students were adjudicated at the highest level of their peer group during YoungArts Week in Miami; they represent the top tier of talented young artists in the nation, and many go on to become Presidential Scholars in the Arts. As a result of their exceptional performances at YoungArts Week, they are invited to New York City for additional artistic enrichment opportunities, including master classes with world-renowned artists, and participate in workshops and interdisciplinary activities. Students are also given the chance to perform at the esteemed Baryshnikov Arts Center in front of a New York audience, and exhibit their work at Affirmation Arts gallery.

On the student’s last night in New York City, YoungArts presents a studio performance that features the Dance, Voice, Music, Theater and Writing winners, followed by an exhibition viewing which highlights works from the Photography, Visual and Cinematic Arts winners.. What makes this program so unique are the creative threads between the acts, and the interdisciplinary aspect to the training they receive. The acts they perform together on the last night are spontaneously created by the artists themselves, during the time they spent together during the week. Students are forced to step out of their element and walk in another artist’s shoes. They are encouraged to think outside the proverbial box, and push themselves past their artistic limits.

In the Studio celebrates the most exceptional young artists that come through the YoungArts program. It is designed to provide them with further artistic training that will encourage them to pursue a lifelong career in the arts. There is a special bond and comaraderie that has formed between the students during the time they spent together in Miami, and then again in New York, which becomes evident when they perform together. The chemistry is undeniable. They have formed relationships that will last a lifetime, and have benefited enormously by being around their peers who have the same passion and devotion to the arts as they do.

In the Studio took place April 17-23, 2010 at the Baryshnikov Arts Center and Affirmation Arts gallery in New York City.

On Thursday, April 22, we held our annual In the Studio, a Celebrationof the YoungArts Gold and Silver Winners benefit at the Baryshnikov Arts Center and Affirmation Arts gallery. Chaired by Agnes Gund, Sarah Arison,Marian Davis and Nikki Brown, the benefit raised funds andawareness for the talented student artists the YoungArts program is dedicated to supporting. Notable guests included Mikhail Baryshnikov, Melissa Manchester, Gregory Mosher, and Lin Arison.

The evening was the culmination of the week-long In the Studio program, an artistic residency for 37 talented young artists who were selected as the best of the best from a group of 142 high school senior artists from across the nation.The evening included a performance at the Baryshnikov Arts Center by the YoungArts Dance, Theater, Voice, Classical Music, Jazz and Writing winners, followed by cocktails and hors d’oeuvres at anexhibition by the Visual Arts, Photography and Cinematic Arts winners at Affirmation Arts gallery.