On Saturday, January 9, 2016, the National

YoungArts Foundation will host its largest annual fundraiser, the Backyard Ball. The Backyard Ball is the culmination of YoungArts’ signature program, National YoungArts Week, which provides a select group of YoungArts winners with life-changing experiences, including master classes, workshops, performances and exhibitions. The celebratory evening of artistic immersion will bring together prominent artists, community leaders, philanthropists and celebrities to recognize the 2016 YoungArts winners, the nation’s most outstanding young artists in the literary, visual, design and performing arts; and three distinguished awardees will also be recognized for their invaluable commitment to the arts.

Chairs for the Backyard Ball are Tracey and Bruce Berkowitz.
For additional information and tickets for the YoungArts Backyard Ball, email Gala@YoungArts.org or call 305-377-1140, Ext. 1802.
About the National YoungArts Foundation
The National YoungArts Foundation (YoungArts)

was established in 1981 by Lin and Ted Arison to identify and support the next generation of artists in the visual, literary, design and performing arts; assist them at critical junctures in their educational and professional development; and raise appreciation for the arts in American society.

Each year, there are approximately 11,000 applications to YoungArts from 15-18 year old (or grades 10-12) artists, and from these, approximately 800 winners are selected.

YoungArts provides these emerging artistswith life-changing experiences and validation by renowned mentors, access to significant scholarships,

national recognition and other opportunities at critical junctures throughout their careers to help ensure that the nation’s most outstanding emerging artists are encouraged to pursue careers in the arts. To date, YoungArts has honored more than 20,000 alumni, including Doug Aitken, Josh Groban, Jenji Kohan, Desmond Richardson and Kerry Washington with over $12 million in monetary awards; and enabled its participants to work with master teachers who are among the most distinguished artists in the world, such as Mikhail Baryshnikov, Plácido Domingo, Frank Gehry, Jeff Koons, Wynton Marsalis, Robert Redford, Rebecca Walker and Bruce Weber.

For more information, visit www.YoungArts.org.