The Bay Area Creative Foundation(BACF) was established in 2019 to celebrate creative experimentation and practice. The
Creative Youth Awards (CYA) is an annual program that honors and nurtures creativity in local teens.
Through the upcoming 2025 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. The 2025 Awards are open to the first 2,500 submissions and launch on September 30, 2024.
“The Creative Youth Awards continue to be a way to show recognition and award artistic
expression among our youth,” said Dr. Emil Kakkis, Bay Area Creative Foundation founder and distinguished geneticist known for his work to develop treatments for ultra-rare disorders.
Affirming the importance creativity provides in society, Dr. Kakkis established the BACF to
inspire and support young artists by providing awards that encourage and celebrate their
creativity.
Since its launch in 2021, $288,000 in cash awards have been distributed to over 1,500 young artists and more than 4,400 Bay Area students have participated in the Creative Youth Awards. All qualified artist applicants are eligible to receive cash awards and prizes, and their artwork is included in the online Creative Gallery. 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. Top awardees receive direct feedback on their artwork from the professional arts review panel. Over the last 4 years, the Bay Area Creative Foundation has been a proud recipient of the MasterClass Grant, distributing free year-long memberships to all qualified participants, and will continue that legacy this year as 2025 MasterClass Grant recipients.
The Creative Youth Awards culminate in the Creative Youth Celebration – an in-person
showcase of the CYA Artists. The 2024 Celebration was held at Saint Joseph’s Art Society in San Francisco and included live student performances, displays and activation of student artwork, and a keynote address by acclaimed choreographer Alonzo King, founder of Alonzo King LINES
Ballet.
2025 CREATIVE YOUTH AWARDS DATES:
September 30, 2024: Submissions open, visit website to apply
December 11, 2024: Submissions close
For more information on the Bay Area Creative Foundation and the 2025 Creative Youth
Awards, please visit www.bayareacreativefoundation.org.
Contact: info@bayareacreativefoundation.org
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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.
