The Texas Commission on the Arts and the Texas Cultural Trust  Will Award Grants to Outstanding Student Artists 

AUSTIN, Texas – October 7, 2025 – Through November 3, the Texas Commission on the Arts (TCA) and the Texas Cultural Trust are accepting applications for the 2026 class of Young Masters, a joint initiative that provides exemplary Texas student artists in grades 8-11 with the financial help they need to pursue advanced study in the areas of visual arts, literary arts, music, theater, dance, musical theater, folk arts, and media arts.

The state’s most talented young artists will receive the title of “Young Master” and be awarded grants of $5,000 per year to further their studies in their respective disciplines. Students are eligible to receive the grant for two years, but they must submit a report and an update. The students selected for this program will represent the 13th class of Young Masters, which is generously supported by the Butler Texas Young Masters Endowment. To date, the Trust and TCA have given 431 grants to 199 Young Masters, awarding more than $1.3 million. “The Young Masters 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. “We look forward to receiving applications from candidates who are already demonstrating outstanding artistic ability, talent and dedication to developing their knowledge in their chosen discipline.”

Applications, information and guidelines are available online at arts.texas.gov/initiatives/young-masters/. Applications and required supporting materials must be submitted by November 3, 2025. To be considered for the grant, students must be legal U.S. residents 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. The Young Masters will be selected by a panel of arts experts from across the state based on artistic excellence, level of commitment and quality of their proposed plan of study. The 2026 Young Masters recipients will be honored at a celebration in spring of 2026 in Austin, Texas.

“The Texas Cultural Trust is proud to invest in the next generation of Texas artists,” said Texas Cultural Trust Chief Executive Officer, Heidi Marquez Smith. “These Young Masters are not only advancing their creative education—they are building the foundation for Texas’ cultural future. For many, this grant makes possible the kind of training and opportunities that might otherwise be out of reach. We are so grateful to the individuals and organizations that make these transformative opportunities available for young artists.”

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 arts.texas.gov.

The Texas Cultural Trust, established in 1995, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to supporting and increasing access and awareness for the arts and creative industries across the state. Programs of the organization include the Texas Medal of Arts Awards, Arts Access, Art Can, Texas Young Masters, Texas Women for the Arts, and Partners in the Arts. Efforts are amplified by supporters who are instrumental in the success of leading a cohesive voice for the arts in education, advocacy, and economic impact in Texas, spotlighting the artistic excellence of the state. For more information, visit TXCulturalTrust.org.