15 TEXAS STUDENTS SELECTED FOR 2026 YOUNG MASTERS CLASS
The Texas Commission on the Arts and the Texas Cultural Trust
Award Grants to Outstanding Student Artists
AUSTIN, Texas – March 5, 2026 – The Texas Commission on the Arts (TCA) and the Texas Cultural Trust (TXCT) are proud to announce the 2026 class of Young Masters. Young Masters is a grant program that provides exemplary students in grades 8-11 with financial support to pursue advanced study in the areas of visual arts, literary arts, music, theater, dance, musical theater, folk & traditional arts, and media arts. This year’s promising young students come from 12 cities across Texas and together display a variety of artistic talents.
Through this grant program, talented young artists from across the state receive the title of “Young Master” and are awarded grants of $5,000 per year to further their studies in their chosen arts disciplines. This gifted group of 15 students represents the thirteenth class of Young Masters, which is generously supported by the Butler Texas Young Masters Endowment. Students are eligible to receive the grant for two years. Since the program’s inception in 2002, the Trust and TCA have awarded 431 grants to 199 Young Masters, investing more than $1.3 million in their artistic development.
“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. “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 them on their accomplishments.”
THE 2026 CLASS OF TEXAS YOUNG MASTERS:
Sydney Bridgewater, 9th Grade,
Emmalynne Brown, 10th Grade,
Isabella Cervera, 11th Grade, San Antonio, North East School of the Arts, Musical Theater
Josephine Chow, 11th Grade, Austin, Westwood High School, Music/Piano
Jenny Chu, 11th Grade, Dallas, The Hockaday School, Literary Arts/Poetry
Matthew Conway, 9th Grade, Prosper,
Alessandro Dieguez, 10th
Joseph Kirillov, 10th Grade, Prosper, Penn Foster Online High School, Dance
Caroline McGowan, 10th Grade, Dallas, Highland Park High School, Dance
Annie Newton, 9th Grade, Kingwood,
Hana Reel, 10th Grade, The Woodlands, The Woodlands High School, Music/Vocal
Emilia Tovar-Catete, 11th
Elim Wong, 9th Grade, Plano, Jasper High School, Music/Violin
Ayden Yang, 8th Grade, Dallas, St. Mark’s School of Texas, Music/Voice
Jonathan Zhang, 11th Grade, Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, Houston, Music/Saxophone
“Through the Butler Texas Young Masters program, we are proud to invest in the next generation of creative leaders,” says TXCT CEO Heidi Marquez Smith. “With the support of our patrons, families, and arts advocates, we’re not only sustaining Texas’ rich cultural legacy, we’re also strengthening it for the future. We can’t wait to see what these extraordinary young artists will accomplish and are honored to be part of their journey.”
The 2026 Texas Young Masters will be recognized at an awards celebration on April 13 at ZACH Theater in Austin. The evening will feature iconic Texas artists like Ray Benson from Asleep at the Wheel, Lauren Anderson from the Houston Ballet, award-winning author Elizabeth Crook, media personality Trevor Scott from We Are Austin, and more. To support the Texas Young Masters program and for additional information on the event, including tickets, please visit txculturaltrust.org.
To be considered for the Young Masters 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 were selected by a citizen panel of experts from across the state based on artistic excellence, level of commitment and quality of their proposed plan of action. Disbursement for this class of Young Masters will begin in the spring of 2026.
The 2026 Texas Young Masters Event Chairs: Adrienne & Chris Bosh
The 2026 Texas Young Masters grants are sponsored by*: Sarah & Dr. Ernest Butler ●
Jeanne and Mickey Klein ● Sermoonjoy Fund ● PNC Foundation ● Adrienne and Chris Bosh ● Genesis Inspiration Foundation ● Genesis of West Houston ● Keating Auto Group – Toyota of City Park + City Limits Subaru ● Judy and Kirk Robison ● Texas Women for the Arts ● AT&T/Leslie and Don Ward ● Laura and John Beckworth ● Ray Benson ● Kelli and Eddy Blanton ● Barbara Ann Baldridge Foundation/ Lauri and Marvin Blum ● Kelley and Pat Frost ● Gay Gaddis ● Mindy Ellmer and Charlie Geren ● Tisa and Billy Hibbs / Hibbs-Hallmark Insurance Group ● Dan W. Jackson III and Dr. Jeremy Guiberteau ● Charles and Karen Matthews ● Nancy and Jud Murray ● Cabrina and Steven Owsley ● Corinna Holt and J.B. Richter ● Karen and Karl Rove ● Tania and Scott Schwartz ● Pam and George Willeford ● Alexis and Todd Hunter ● Aubrey Epstein ● Maribel and George Farish ● Patty Nuss
*Current list at time of release
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About the Texas Commission on the Arts
The mission of the Texas Commission on the Arts (TCA) is to advance our state economically and culturally by investing in a creative 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.
About the Texas Cultural Trust
Texas Cultural Trust is a 501c3 nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting and increasing access and awareness for the arts across the state. Programs of the Texas Cultural Trust include the Texas Medal of Arts Awards, Art Can, Texas Young Masters, Texas Women for the Arts, Partners in the Arts, and Arts Access. Texas Cultural Trust efforts are amplified by its partners 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 our state. For more information on the Texas Cultural Trust, please visit txculturaltrust.org.
