22 TEXAS STUDENTS SELECTED FOR 2010 YOUNG MASTERS CLASS

AUSTIN, Texas – March 10, 2010 – The Texas Commission on the Arts (TCA) and the Texas Cultural Trust are proud to announce the 2010 class of Young Masters, a grant program that provides exemplary art students in grades 8-12 with the financial help they need to pursue advanced study in the areas of visual arts, literature, music, theatre, dance and media arts. This year’s promising young students come from all over the state and together display a variety of artistic talents.

The state’s most talented young artists will receive the title of “Young Master” and will be awarded grants of up to $2,500 per year to further their studies in their chosen arts disciplines. Students are eligible to receive the grant for up to three years, but they must reapply annually. This gifted group of 22 students represents the fifth class of Young Masters. The Trust and TCA have given 151 grants to 66 previous Young Masters, awarding $377,500 to aspiring artists prior to this year’s class.

“The Young Master grant program was created as a way to recognize and support young people pursuing the dream of becoming prominent Texan artists of the next generation,” said TCA Executive Director Gary Gibbs. “These young artists earned the Young Masters title because of their outstanding artistic ability, talent and dedication to developing their knowledge in their chosen discipline. We congratulate their accomplishment.”

This year’s class includes 22 student artists from across Texas. The chosen students include: Behnam Arzaghi, Lubbock; Ava Barrett, Houston; Skylar Boykin, Plano; Monica Brown, Kingwood; Maddie Bueter, Frisco; Chelsea Conwright, Houston; Karina Farek, Houston; Alysia Johnson, Dallas; Hannah Lee, Bryan; Ruth Lin, Houston; Emily Manning, College Station; Paul Vijay Meunier, Sunset Valley; Kyle Morrow, Dallas; Sydney Roberts, Spring; Ida Saki, Plano; Eun “Jinny” Seo, Euless; Morgan Starr, Spring; Michelle Suh, Austin; Alexandra Switala, Grapevine; Michael Taylor, Arlington; Vincent Turner, New Braunfels; and McKinley Willis, Dallas.

“The Texas Cultural Trust is excited to recognize such a gifted group of young artists,” said Trust Chair Wayne Fisher. “I’m pleased that our support can help these students pursue their dreams, by allowing them to continue their artistic training and further their creative disciplines.”

In order to be considered for the grant, students must be U.S. citizens living in Texas and participating in a school-based program, a summer institute, or a specialized course of study or receiving private lessons from a qualified professional instructor. They must also maintain passing grades in all academic areas.

Young Masters were selected by a citizen panel of experts from across the state based on artistic excellence, level of potential, level of commitment and quality of their proposed plan of action.

Disbursement for this class of Young Masters will begin in the summer of 2010. This program was made possible by generous contributions from AT&T Foundation, Anheuser-Busch Companies, Applied Materials, BNSF Railway, Emerson Electric, The Honorable David Dewhurst, Mrs. Gene Jones, Mr. George Mitchell, Plum Foundation, Ray C. Fish Foundation, Raytheon, and Mrs. W. D. Noel.

About The Texas Commission on the Arts
TCA was organized in 1965 by the Texas Legislature to develop a receptive climate for the arts in Texas. TCA supports a diverse and innovative arts community in Texas, throughout the nation and internationally by providing resources to enhance economic development, arts education, cultural tourism and artist sustainability initiatives. For more information on TCA and its programs, please visit www.arts.state.tx.us.

About the Texas Cultural Trust
Established in 1995, the Texas Cultural Trust is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that promotes and highlights the importance of the arts in educating our children and sustaining our vibrant Texas economy. The Texas Cultural Trust supports programs of the Texas Commission on the Arts and other qualifying state agencies. In addition to the biennial Texas Medal of Arts Awards, some of the Trust’s other programs include the Create Texas, Put Your ART Into It, Adventures in the ARTS children’s book, Texas Women for the Arts, Founders for the Arts, and strataTX. For more information please visit www.txculturaltrust.org.