This Tuesday, October 19th, is the deadline for the 2010 YoungArts national programs, which include YoungArts Week, In the Studio and Presidential Scholars in the Arts. But, if you miss the deadline, don’t worry. YoungArts will be around next year and the year after providing support and enrichment activities for the advancement of our nation’s gifted… 17-18 year old artists. In this interview, Christina DePaul, President and CEO of YoungArts, discusses the critical role YoungArts plays in the advancement of the arts in America. She also talks about what it takes for aspiring young artists (and their parents) to make it through the YoungArts national application process.

Neil de la Flor: In 2011, YoungArts will celebrate its 30th year. What is the organization’s greatest achievement so far?

Christina DePaul: For 30 years, YoungArts has been discovering excellence in the arts—and we stand alone in our mission and outreach. In 30 years, we have expanded our programming significantly, and we have impacted the lives of 16,000 alumni. These alumni are our greatest achievements, as they have gone on to become bestselling authors, award-winning actors, headlining musicians and the art world’s Avant Garde, as well as leaders in the business of arts and arts advocates affecting change. We’re also proud to have expanded into regional programming in two cities (Miami and New York City), and we look forward to creating YoungArts programming in cities across the country, including Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington, D.C. and more.

ND: Tell me about the programs, specifically YoungArts Week and In the Studio. And, how do they assist young artists?

CD: YoungArts is the only organization of its kind in the country—our mission is to identify and support America’s most talented young artists at critical junctures in their lives. One way we do this through our core national program, which includes an application process for up to 7,000 17-18 year olds. These students apply for an opportunity of an all-expenses paid week of master classes, lectures and performances in Miami in January with exceptional, talented peers. This week, known as YoungArts Week, is also an opportunity for them to perform for adjudicators who ultimately determine their award level and nominate them for Gold and Silver awards a week in New York City for In the Studio and the Presidential Scholars in the Arts awards in Washington, D.C.

In the Studio brings our top award winners together for a week-long master class to create an interdisciplinary performance and exhibition at the Affirmation Arts gallery and Baryshnikov Arts Center in New York City. In just three days, our young artists collaborate together to create a truly original performance that they then perform for sold-out audiences of key arts world influencers. That week, the young artists also work with the New York City public schools to mentor and inspire other students.

The final piece of the national program is the Presidential Scholars in the Arts in June, for which YoungArts is the sole nominating agency. Our national panelists nominate 60 students from YoungArts Week for this honor, and 20 excellent student artists who have demonstrated superior qualities in their discipline, as well as their academic and leadership credentials to become the Presidential Scholars in the Arts, the highest honor given to a high-school senior in the United States. This honor takes their work to the Smithsonian American Art Museum for the visual and literary artists, and performing artists to the Kennedy Center and meet the President of the United States.

The regional programs are the newest initiative for the YoungArts core programs, and are the future of this organization as they will help expand across the United States to reach and impact greater numbers of students. In New York City and Miami, we are piloting programming for students in 9-12 grades, their teachers and parents. These regional programs are year-round laboratory programs featuring workshops, educator’s assemblies and master classes. We’re helping them hone their work in their disciplines, and we’re also encouraging them to prepare for the opportunities with the national program. For many of these students, this is critical support that they would not receive elsewhere.

Within these regional programs, there will be programming for educators in which they will be recognized, mentored through master classes and inspired for the important work they do back within the classroom and their own artistic endeavors.

ND: Why are these programs so valuable for the future of the arts in America?

CD: Our work ensures that the next generation of American artists is supported and nurtured, and continues to create. Young artists in nine disciplines in the visual, literary and performing arts come through our programs with more confidence, thinking and problem solving skills and poised as the next generation of artists and advocates. We work with these young artists to help them understand the power of their artistic talent to inspire others and to create appreciation for and support of, the arts in American society.

ND: There’s so much pressure to make money in our culture that some parents steer their kids away from a career in the arts. What would you say to parents who are concerned about their child’s future?

CD: That’s exactly why we exist! We want to support truly excellent young artists by providing mentoring, collaborative thinking and exceptional experiences at one of their most critical junctures, when they are half-built and unfinished. We want to assure them that the path of their journey is a great and noble path—one that, through hard work, excellence and dedication, can improve the future for the young artists themselves, their communities and the cultural health of the country at large.

YoungArts provides the validation, the experiences and support to pave the way for young artists to be courageous and powerful thinkers and creators. We want to inspire and foster the next generation of American artists, and want to work with their parents, teachers and community to build a stronger support system for them and others.

ND: In Sir Ken Robinson’s insightful 2006 TED lecture, he contends that “all kids have tremendous talents” however our public education system, as a whole, squanders those talents “pretty ruthlessly”. How does YoungArts push back against this pretty ruthless system? CD: YoungArts was created out of that very concern, and through both our core programs, we provide environments of boundless creativity. We recognize that this path can be a challenging one, so we provide them with the courage to believe in themselves and each other, therefore paying it forward for future generations of passionate artists like themselves.

Through our HBO MASTERCLASS series, we are creating a study guide with scholars from Columbia University’s Teachers College, to support educators in all subject areas. Our founder, Ted Arison, once said: “I think that the arts are the soul of our nation. I felt that the arts had almost become an endangered species. I realized, especially with young people, that the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts will ensure the future of our soul.”

ND: How competitive is the national application process?

CD: Our national application opens each March and closes in October. Up to 7,000 students each year submit online applications and arts submissions in nine disciplines in the visual, literary and performing arts to our YoungArts office in Miami, and they are thoroughly reviewed by two panels of nationally renowned adjudicators.

The competition is extremely competitive—from thousands, we select only 150 to join us here in Miami for YoungArts Week. We select additional young artists who receive honorable mention and merit awards, and they receive recognition, a financial award and become part of the YoungArts alumni association. This gives all of our young artists access to career opportunities, performance and exhibition opportunities and networking amongst artist peers and arts patrons.

By applying for our national program, students are also made eligible for our scholarship list service (SLS), which gives their information to top colleges and universities around the country. In past years, this has meant up to $3 million in scholarship for these students.

ND: What advice do you have for parents and aspiring artists? How should they prepare themselves for a the application process and, more importantly, a life in the arts?

CD: For the aspiring artists, practice, practice, practice! Focus, focus, focus! And enjoy spreading your talents. Always think about breaking new ground with your work to create experiences that have never been felt. Gain new experiences through consistently creating and pursuing your passion, being open to criticism and evaluating the importance of that criticism within your work.

Break every rule, color outside of the lines and know that there’s never one solution to any problem. Also, as artists, you must support each other and be compassionate in each of your specific individualities. As we all know, arts within educational institutions and arts funding continues to decrease, and we all must advocate for the importance of the arts in this country.

For parents, my advice is you can’t stifle passion of that capacity—so support it, nurture it and be proud of the individual that you created. Stand by their individuality and be proud of it and recognize that it is truly a gift.

ND: The future of the arts depends on…

CD: America recognizing creative individuals as national treasures. Our next generation of artists can create, integrate and break new ground for the country to experience the unknown. They are our future and we rely on them to ensure America continues to flourish.

Last chance to apply for the 2010 national programs at www.youngarts.org/apply. For more information about YoungArts please visit www.youngarts.org. Mark your calendar for YoungArts Week, January 10-15, 2011, with performances at the Gusman Theatre, Colony Theatre and Van Dyke Cafe, as well as exhibitions at the Marguelies Collection at the WaReHOUSE in the Design District. All performances and exhibitions are free and open to the public.