A PROGRAM OF THE TEXAS CULTURAL TRUST
ABOUT THE TEXAS CULTURAL TRUST
The Texas Cultural Trust, established in 1995, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to supporting arts in education, advocacy, and economic impact in Texas, spotlighting the artistic excellence of the state.
Programs of the organization include the Texas Young Masters, among many others, which wholistically support the arts through scholarships, grants, research, awards, advocacy, and more.
txculturaltrust.org
ABOUT THE TEXAS YOUNG MASTERS
The Texas Young Masters program is a joint initiative between the Texas Cultural Trust and the Texas Commission on the Arts providing exemplary Texas-based arts students in grades 8-11 with the financial help needed to pursue advanced study in the areas of visual arts, literary arts, music, theatre, dance, musical theatre, folk arts, and media arts. The Trust announces a new class of Young Masters every biennium at an awards show celebrating the drive and talent of fifteen 8th through 11th grade students. Each student receives a $10,000 scholarship grant, over two years, to further their studies in their chosen field.
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Texas Young Masters have been awarded scholarship grants since the program’s inception in 2002.
SUCCESS STORIES
Christopher Vo
2002 YOUNG MASTER IN DANCE
Vo used his scholarship grant to attend a summer of study at Juilliard, which led to his eventual acceptance into the Juilliard program — one of only ten freshmen who received a full scholarship. He has toured extensively in Twyla Tharp’s Come Fly Away national tour. He was also a featured dancer in the NBC show Smash and is recognized as a Presidential Scholar in the Arts. Vo is a graduate of Booker T. Washington High School of the Performing and Visual Arts.
Ida Saki
2010 YOUNG MASTER IN DANCE
Saki is a first generation IranianAmerican from Dallas, whose love of dance stems in part from her mother not being able to study the art form as a young girl in Iran. Since Young Masters, she has wowed the judges on So You Think You Can Dance, and received numerous national honors, including Distinguished Performer of the Year and Outstanding Dancer of the Year. She was also the first female dancer to be named a Presidential Scholar in the Arts. Saki also cocreated/performed in a show that premiered at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
Charles Yang
2004 YOUNG MASTER IN MUSIC
Described by The Boston Globe as, “One who plays classical violin with the charisma of a rock star”, Yang has performed as a soloist with orchestras and in recitals in the United States, Europe, Brazil, Russia, China, and Taiwan. He is also the recipient of numerous awards and honors. Yang attended The Juilliard School after graduating from Westlake High School in Austin.
Ann Cho
2014 YOUNG MASTER IN MUSIC
Cho is a two-time National Young Arts Foundation Winner in Classical Music. She has won top prizes at the MTNA National Solo Competition, Austin Civic Orchestra’s Pearl Amster Competition, Austin Symphony Orchestra’s Youth Awards, and the Longy School of Music’s Concerto Competition. At the age of five, she was the youngest violinist of the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra.
INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERS
PAST YOUNG MASTERS SPONSORS
Alturas Foundation
Covert Auto Group
Frost Bank
Guillermo Nichols & James Foster
Jeanne and Michael Klein
Judy and Kirk Robison
Karen and Charles Matthews
Kathleen and Ben Keating
Laura and John Beckworth
Locke Lord LLP
Neiman Marcus
Regan and William Gammon
The RWM Foundation
Wayne Fisher
NOTABLE MEDIA
Three Houston-area students named Texas Young Masters
THE AWARD SHOW
The biennium event celebrates fifteen Texas Young Masters in a highly produced show that provides a stage for the talent to showcase their work.
“To be young, motivated, and free to truly explore what it means to be an artist; this is a powerful combination of forces. The Young Masters program is important because it recognizes this time.” - KR Pipkin, 2008 Texas Young Master in Visual Arts
SPONSORSHIPS
* Written pledge of sponsorship must be secured prior to print/publishing deadlines.
ALL SPONSORS RECEIVE:
•Invitations to 222 Young Masters Awards and VIP reception with complimentary parking for all guests
•Prominent branding and recognition on Texas Young Masters web page, program, digital and print signage
•Annual recognition as a Texas Cultural Trust Partner in the Arts
EXCLUSIVE NAMING OPPORTUNITIES Title sponsorships receive additional branding and recognition including:
• Rising Star Scholarship Endowment Sponsors: Naming opportunity for one Texas Young Master scholarship in artistic discipline of choice for four years
• Presenting Sponsors: Naming opportunity for one 2022 Texas Young Master scholarship in artistic discipline of choice
THANK YOU For more information, contact Lesley Walker at lwalker@txculturaltrust.org or visit us at www.txculturaltrust.org/what-we-do/texas-young-masters/
