Young Artists & Authors Showcase
The Young Artists and Authors Showcase (YAAS) is an annual art contest that encourages youth worldwide to express the mission of Sister Cities International through original artwork, literature, poetry, photography, and music
Submissions are centered around an annual theme and judged based on originality, composition, and theme interpretation.
Selected grand prize winners in each category and age division (art, literature, poetry, photography, and music) win a $1,000 prize, while second place winners receive $500, and third place winners receive $250. After the winners have been announced, their works are displayed on the Sister Cities International website.
Any Sister City program that is a member of Sister Cities International can participate in YAAS. The showcase is a great opportunity to engage local students, English teachers, and art teachers in your Sister City program.
Sister Cities International Presents its 2027 YAAS Theme
Accepting Submissions: September 1, 2026
Application Deadline: April 1, 2027
Click Here to Submit: https://sistercities.fillout.com/2027yaas
YAAS 2027
Sister Cities International is proud to present the 2027 Young Artists and Authors Showcase, inviting youth from around the world to express their creativity through the theme “A Tapestry of Cultures and the Threads That Connect Us.”
Every culture, community, and individual contributes a unique thread to the tapestry of our interconnected world. While our traditions, languages, histories, and perspectives may differ, each enriches the whole, creating stronger communities built on mutual respect, understanding, and collaboration.
This year’s theme invites young artists and authors to reflect on the relationships that connect people across cultures and borders. Through friendship, cultural exchange, and shared experiences, we weave a future of peace—one shaped by curiosity, compassion, and a commitment to understanding one another. Participants are encouraged to explore how people-to-people connections can bridge differences, celebrate diversity, and inspire positive change within their communities and beyond.
The tapestry is a powerful metaphor for Sister Cities International’s mission of building peace through citizen diplomacy and cultural exchange. Just as every thread contributes to the strength and beauty of a tapestry, every individual has the ability to strengthen the bonds that unite communities around the world. Through art, photography, music, poetry, and writing, participants are invited to interpret the threads that connect us and demonstrate how creativity can foster dialogue, deepen understanding, and contribute to a more peaceful and connected future.
Open to artists, writers, photographers, and musicians aged 12–18, the Showcase provides a unique platform to explore how creativity can unite communities, celebrate shared humanity, and envision a better future. Submissions are accepted across various mediums, including visual art, essays, poetry, photography, and music. Winning entries will be featured across Sister Cities International’s global network, inspiring people and partnerships around the world.
What is YAAS?
The Young Artists and Authors Showcase (YAAS) is an annual contest that encourages youth worldwide to express the mission of Sister Cities International through original artwork, literature, photography, and music.
We encourage our youth to be creative and examine all aspects of this year’s theme, including but not limited to:
- What cultures, traditions, or experiences have shaped who you are, and how can you share them with others?
- What “threads” connect people across different cultures, countries, and communities?
- How can learning about other cultures help us build understanding, empathy, and respect?
- What traditions from the past should we carry forward, and how might we weave them into the future?
- If you could weave together ideas, traditions, or values from different cultures, what would you create?
- What does a future of peace and intercultural understanding look like to you, and what role can young people play in creating it?
- How can cultural exchange bring people together even when we come from different backgrounds?
- What is one thing you wish people around the world understood about your culture or community?
- If the world were a tapestry, what would you add to it?
- What new connections can we create today to make the world more peaceful and united tomorrow?
- How can Sister Cities partnerships bring people from different cultures together to weave stronger connections and build a more peaceful world?
Age Categories
This year, we are hosting two separate competitions based on age groups. Applicants aged 12-14 will compete in one showcase, while those aged 15-18 will compete in another. In each age group and each art medium, there will be a first, second, and third place winner.
Prizes
Grand prize winners in each age group and each art medium will receive a $1,000 prize. Second place winners will receive a $500 prize, and third place winners will be awarded a $250 prize.
Submission Categories
Classic Art Showcase
- Media Accepted: Oil, acrylic, watercolor, charcoal, colored pencil, and mixed media on paper or canvas.
- Submission: A clear, high-resolution photograph or scan of the artwork in .jpg or .png format.
- Originality: All submissions must be the artist’s own original work. AI-generated or AI-assisted artwork is not permitted. Any AI-generated content will be automatically disqualified.
- Restrictions: Only two-dimensional (2-D) artwork will be accepted.
Digital Art Showcase
- Requirements: Minimum resolution of 1350x1080 px. Moving or animated pieces will not be accepted. Pieces should be created using digital programs such as Adobe Photoshop, Procreate, digital painting platforms, etc.
- Submission: Save the final artwork as a .jpg or .png file.
- Originality: All artwork must be original and created entirely by the student. AI-generated or AI-assisted work is strictly prohibited and will be automatically disqualified.
Photography Showcase
- Requirements: Only two-dimensional (2-D) works will be accepted.
- Digital Edits: Limited digital edits (filters, lighting, color correction, cropping) are permitted, but adding or removing key elements is not allowed. If major edits are applied, submit under the Digital Art category instead.
- Submission: High-resolution photo in .jpg or .png format.
- Originality: Photographs must be taken by the student and must not include AI-generated or manipulated elements. Any AI use will result in automatic disqualification.
Essay Showcase
- Requirements: Essays may be narrative, reflective, or creative nonfiction. Must be written in English and not exceed 500 words.
- Submission: Submit as .pdf or .doc file, including a title.
- Originality: All writing must be the student’s original work. AI-generated or AI-assisted writing (including paraphrasing tools) is strictly prohibited and will result in disqualification.
Poetry Showcase
- Requirements: Poems may be in any style or form (free verse, rhymed, haiku, etc.) and must be written in English. Maximum 200 words.
- Submission: Submit as .pdf or .doc file with a title.
- Originality: All poems must be original and written by the student. AI-generated or AI-assisted poetry will result in automatic disqualification.
Original Music
- Requirements: Audio-only submissions; no videos. Maximum length: 4 minutes. Submissions may be instrumental or include lyrics and can be produced using instruments or music software.
- Submission: Submit as an MP3 file.
- Originality: Music must be original. Covers, reinterpretations, or remixes are not accepted. All compositions must be created entirely by the student. AI-generated or AI-assisted music (melodies, lyrics, or production) is strictly prohibited and will be automatically disqualified.
Additional Info
Eligibility Criteria
Please read the following details carefully. All additional questions can be directed to [email protected].
- Students must be between 12 and 18 years of age at the time of the April 1, 2027 deadline.
- The student must be affiliated with and have a direct point of contact with a dues-paying member of Sister Cities International or an international community partnered with a dues-paying member.
- Each student can only submit one art piece across the whole YAAS competition.
- All entries must conform to the Sister Cities International policy on plagiarism found here.
Judging Criteria
All submissions will be judged anonymously by a panel of volunteer judges. Judges will review each submission carefully and follow the below criteria:
- Interpretation of the theme
- Originality and creativity
- Technical skill
- Overall impact
Are you an author, artist, composer, or musician passionate about supporting young creators?
Join us as a volunteer judge for the 2027 Young Artists and Authors Showcase and help inspire the next generation of global talent! Contact [email protected].
Frequently Asked Questions
I am an individual located in X country/city, am I automatically a part of a Sister City organization?
No. If you have not contacted your local sister city organization before, you are not automatically part of their network. If you have attended any events through their local programming, you might be in their network. However, all sister city organizations have their own membership procedures. There might be fees and other conditions for being part of their network. Therefore, please contact your local organization to learn more about your current status.
Is there a sister city organization near me and how do I find my Sister City program information?
If you have any questions about your affiliation with a dues-paying member of Sister Cities International, please contact SCI Membership Manager, Ashleigh Manuel ([email protected]).
I didn't know I had to be a part of a sister city program to submit my artwork. Can I still submit without their approval?
No, all submissions must be coordinated with your local sister city program.
I am interested in hosting a competition within my local sister city program, how do I do this?
Click here, to view a guide on How to Organize Your Local Competition.
Is my school teacher my sister city contact?
Usually, your Sister City contact is different from your teacher. Almost all Sister City organizations designate one person to be the point of contact for the Showcase. However, if your teacher is directly involved with your local Sister City program, they can be your Sister City contact. Please clarify this with your local program before submitting your application form.
Can I provide my school email address when I am filling out the submission form?
No. Please do not provide a school-affiliated email address (.edu, k12.net, etc). Most school email addresses have a security function that prohibits us from contacting you. Our main contact method will be email. Therefore it is essential that you provide an email address you check regularly. Lastly, please do not forget to check your spam folder as our emails will be considered “external” and might not show in your inbox.
Do I need to send my artwork to the SCI National Office in Washington, DC?
No, all applications will be taken virtually.
What do you mean by five submissions per category, per sister city?
- Tempe Sister Cities International wants to submit applications for YAAS 2025. They can submit the below amount of entries per category.
- Tempe, AZ can submit a maximum 60 total entries:
- 5 entries in the 12-14 Classic Art Showcase
- 5 entries in the 12-14 Digital Art Showcase
- 5 entries in the 12-14 Photography Showcase
- 5 entries in the 12-14 Essay Showcase
- 5 entries in the 12-14 Poetry Showcase
- 5 entries in the 12-14 Original Music Showcase
- 5 entries in the 15-18 Classic Art Showcase
- 5 entries in the 15-18 Digital Art Showcase
- 5 entries in the 15-18 Photography Showcase
- 5 entries in the 15-18 Essay Showcase
- 5 entries in the 15-18 Poetry Showcase
- 5 entries in the 15-18 Original Music Showcase
- Their sister city Regensburg, Germany can submit a maximum of 60 total entries:
- 5 entries in the 12-14 Classic Art Showcase
- 5 entries in the 12-14 Digital Art Showcase
- 5 entries in the 12-14 Photography Showcase
- 5 entries in the 12-14 Essay Showcase
- 5 entries in the 12-14 Poetry Showcase
- 5 entries in the 12-14 Original Music Showcase
- 5 entries in the 15-18 Classic Art Showcase
- 5 entries in the 15-18 Digital Art Showcase
- 5 entries in the 15-18 Photography Showcase
- 5 entries in the 15-18 Essay Showcase
- 5 entries in the 15-18 Poetry Showcase
- 5 entries in the 15-18 Original Music Showcase
- So on and so forth for each of Tempe, AZ sister city partnerships .
- Tempe, AZ can submit a maximum 60 total entries:
If you have any questions, contact [email protected].