Paving the Way for Creative Teens with the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards

The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards is the longest-running program of its kind in the U.S., having started in 1923. It’s presented by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers—a nonprofit dedicated to identifying students with exceptional artistic and literary talent. Last year, more than 300,000 works were submitted by creative teens in the U.S. and Canada.  

The awards have historically recognized artists who have paved their way to illustrious and impactful careers. Prominent alumni include: 

• artists Andy Warhol, Philip Pearlstein, Cy Twombly, Robert Indiana, Kay WalkingStick, Mozelle Thompson, Hughie Lee-Smith, and John Baldessari; 

• writers Sylvia Plath, Truman Capote, Bernard Malamud, Marc Brown, Myla Goldberg, Stephen King, and Joyce Carol Oates; 

• poets Carolyn Forché, Yolanda Wisher, Amanda Gorman, and Kinsale Drake;  

• photographers Richard Avedon, John Shearer, and Erik Madigan Heck; 

• actors Frances Farmer, Robert Redford, Alan Arkin, Lena Dunham, and John Lithgow; 

• fashion designers Tracy Reese and Zac Posen; 

• and filmmakers Stan Brakhage, Ken Burns, and Richard Linklater. 

You can read more about the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards on the program’s website.