Sara Homma, TMI Episcopal senior, receives highest YoungArts award for accomplishments in visual arts

Sara Homma, a senior at TMI Episcopal, has been named a 2022 YoungArts Finalist in Visual Arts, the organization’s highest honor. Homma has been recognized for her caliber of achievement and joins 720 of the most accomplished young visual, literary, and preforming artists from throughout the country. Selected through the organization’s prestigious competition, YoungArts award winners, all 15-18 years old or in grades 10-12, are chosen for their caliber of artistic achievement by esteemed discipline-specific panels of artists through a rigorous blind adjudication process.

As a Finalist, Homma will participate in YoungArts Week+ in January 2022 featuring virtual classes, workshops, and mentorship from leading artists in their fields such as vocalist La Tanya Hall, visual artists Loni Johnson and Yashua Klos, and award-winning writer Dr. Joan Morgan. YoungArts Week+ features virtual performances and an exhibition for the public.  

Homma is also eligible to be nominated to become a U.S Presidential Scholar in the Arts, one of the highest honors given to high school seniors, bestowed by the President of the United States. As the sole nominating agency, YoungArts nominates 60 artists every year, all YoungArts award winners at the Finalist level, to the White House Commission on Presidential Scholars. The Commission then selects the 20 U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts.

YoungArts award winners gain access to one of the most comprehensive programs for artists in the United States, in which they will have opportunities for financial, creative, and professional development support throughout their entire careers.

“We are thrilled to announce this year’s YoungArts award winners—an extraordinary group of promising, accomplished young artists—and congratulate each of them on this exciting milestone in their artistic careers,” said Executive Director Jewel Malone. “YoungArts empowers artists to pursue a life in the arts…We are proud to support these young artists at the beginning of their journeys and look forward to becoming a resource for them at all stages of their careers.”

YoungArts was established in 1981 by Lin and Ted Arison to identify the most accomplished young artists in the visual, literary, and performing arts and provide them with creative and professional development opportunities throughout their careers. Entrance into this prestigious organization starts with a highly competitive application process for talented artists ages 15-18, or grades 10-12 in the United States.

For more information about becoming a YoungArts award winner, visit https://youngarts.org/competition.  

A complete list of the 2022 winners is available online at youngarts.org/winners.