About us

The Young Artists Awards, Inc. is a performing arts education, audition, performance, and scholarship program for area students ages eight to twenty-one. The project recognizes the area’s top talented students in the performing arts. Now beginning our eighth year, the mission of the Young Artists Awards program is to provide performing arts opportunities and scholarships in the areas of dance, drama, vocal and instrumental music performance and to provide a showcase for the talents of our local youth. As a 501(c)(3) organization, we are dependent on community and corporate funding.

Sponsors

 
  • Mrs. Barbara B. Mann

Mission Statement

By providing young performers access to professionals in the various performing arts fields, students receive positive feedback and educational exposure through adjudicated open auditions and seminars held on three full days at the Alliance for the Arts and a gala performance featuring the top judged students in each category at the Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre, scheduled for March 2011. We will be awarding thirty-three scholarships and opportunities to collaborate with educators and professional artists
  • The monetary scholarships awarded assist students wishing to further their education. At our packed event in March 2010, over $19,000 in savings bond scholarships, as well as additional benefits, including purchased memberships to the Alliance for the Arts, were awarded to students.
  • It is the only open, comprehensive performing arts education, competition, performance and scholarship program that provides written feedback to all participants in our area. Thirty-five judges from throughout the nation volunteered their time as adjudicators. We also sponsored a panel discussion and educational seminar for students, featuring professionals and educators in various performing arts fields.
  • With auditions open to the public at the Alliance and an event at the Broadway Palm, the intent of the program is to provide an enhanced view of young artists and the cultural climate in Southwest Florida. We also collaborate with other area organizations to provide additional opportunities for our student participants, including student performances on the first Friday of every month at Fort Myers Art Walk.

Finally, by working in conjunction with the staff at the Pediatric Oncology program at the Children's Hospital, the project showcases and auctions the artwork of children with cancer. We provide art supplies to the hospital and a monetary benefit to families in crisis facing the challenges of childhood cancer through the Family Emergency Fund. We have developed a partnership with both the Arts for ACT Gallery and the Alliance for the Arts to exhibit the children’s artwork at two month long shows each year.

In addition, in conjunction with the Southwest Florida International Airport, we have 30 pieces of the children’s artwork on display on Concourses B & D through December 2010.