VSA Emerging Young Artists Program
Scholarship Sponsored by Kennedy Center
Overview
The Access/VSA Emerging Young Artists Program is a national juried exhibition that elevates the work of emerging visual artists with disabilities. The program pairs artistic recognition with career development and professional empowerment to strengthen the artistic futures of participants. It highlights perspectives from artists who are actively shaping the cultural landscape and supports their transition into professional art careers.
Description: A Jean Kennedy Smith Arts and Disability Program that amplifies voices of emerging artists through exhibition, training, and visibility.
- National juried exhibition for emerging visual artists with disabilities.
- Combines artistic recognition with professional development.
- Focuses on amplification and career pathways for participants.
Eligibility & Award
The program accepts submissions from artists with disabilities who are U.S. residents between the ages of 16 and 25. Selected artists receive financial support alongside structured professional development to advance their careers. The award package also includes exhibition exposure, ensuring one submitted work by each selected artist is featured publicly.
Eligibility: Artists with disabilities, ages 16–25, residing in the United States.
Award Value: Fifteen artists are each awarded a $3,000 financial stipend, participate in professional development activities, and have a selected artwork exhibited.
- Clear age and residency eligibility requirements.
- Monetary stipend supports career development.
- Exhibition placement provides public visibility.
Themes
Each year the program issues a thematic prompt to guide submissions and focus the juried exhibition. Themes invite artists to reflect on aspects of identity, growth, and the role of disability in their creative practice. The prompts are intended to be broad enough for diverse artistic responses while offering a cohesive narrative for the exhibition.
2027 — Thrive: Invites disabled artists to consider how their lives and art are flourishing, emphasizing growth, evolution, and resilience in creative practice.
2026 — We Hold These Truths: Asks artists to explore how the truths they value intersect with their disability and artistic identities, engaging personal and civic perspectives.
- Themes provide a unifying concept for the annual exhibition.
- Prompts encourage reflection on identity, growth, and values.
- Artists respond to themes through varied visual media and approaches.
History of the Award
The program has operated since 2002 under the Access/VSA Emerging Young Artists Program, part of the Jean Kennedy Smith Arts and Disability initiative. Over two decades it has consistently offered financial support, professional development, and exhibition opportunities to emerging artists with disabilities. The program’s longevity reflects its role in broadening access to the arts and fostering the next generation of visual artists.
History of the Award: Established in 2002, the program has a multi-decade record of supporting and showcasing young artists with disabilities through competitive exhibition and career-building activities.
- Founded in 2002 as the Access/VSA Emerging Young Artists Program.
- Operates under the Jean Kennedy Smith Arts and Disability Program.
- Longstanding commitment to access, representation, and professional growth.