September 5, 2023 - 1 Month Until the 2024 Creative Youth Awards Press Release
The Bay Area Creative Foundation to Give $100,000 to Local Teen Artists in 2024 Creative Youth Awards, Submissions Open October 2, 2023
Image: “Dancing Light” by Elliana Eaton, 2023 CYA Special Awardee in Photography. Courtesy of the artist.
SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA, CA (September 5, 2023) - The Bay Area Creative Foundation, a nonprofit established in 2019, recognizes artistic expression and encourages community support for high school artists in the San Francisco, Bay Area through its annual awards recognition program, the Creative Youth Awards.
Through the upcoming 2024 Creative Youth Awards, the Bay Area Creative Foundation is awarding $100,000 to Bay Area high school artists in creative writing, dance, film, music performance, original music, photography, and visual art. The awards are free to enter and open to all nine Bay Area counties: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, and Sonoma. Submissions open on October 2, 2023! Each year, our submissions are reviewed by a jury of fine artists, arts professionals and educators - all experts in their fields. Previous review panelists have included award-winning music producers, leading filmmakers, and celebrated visual artists.
Since its launch in 2021, over 2,500 Bay Area students have participated in the CYAs, with more than 950 artists earning $178,000+ in cash awards. All artist applicants are eligible to receive cash awards and prizes, and every participant is included in the online Creative Gallery. Over the last 3 years, the Bay Area Creative Foundation has been a proud recipient of the MasterClass Grant, distributing free year-long memberships to all participants, and will continue that legacy this year as 2024 MasterClass Grant recipients.
“I think having competition opportunities like the Bay Area Creative Foundation is very helpful for young people trying to put themselves out there to develop their craft,” said Calvin Ray Shawler, 2023 BACF Creative Artist Awardee. “My big long-term goal, and why I try to make art, is because I think that art can be incredibly healing and connect people in that way, and I would love to bring that same connection and healing that I’ve gotten so wonderfully from art.“
CREATIVE YOUTH AWARDS DATES:
October 2, 2023: Submissions open, visit website to apply December 13, 2023: Submissions close
For more information on the Bay Area Creative Foundation and the 2024 Creative Youth Awards, please visit https://www.bayareacreativefoundation.org/.
“I’m grateful to have a local awards program that is free to enter and gives students a monetary prize, which is different from many other arts/writing contests,” said Rebecca Pollack, Creative Writing Teacher at Marin School of the Arts. “It inspires and encourages students to keep writing and exploring their artistic passions. It’s also really helpful for students to be able to include the CYAs on their resumes and college applications.”
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ABOUT THE BAY AREA CREATIVE FOUNDATION:
The Bay Area Creative Foundation is a nonprofit that seeks to celebrate creative experimentation and practice. Through our annual awards program, we recognize artistic expression and encourage community support for high school artists working in a range of disciplines in the San Francisco Bay Area.
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