Congratulations to the 2020 Young Artists and Authors Showcase Winners

We Are All One

Rose Linn 
Lexington, Kentucky

Morning of Fertility

Haruto Tsuda 
Osaka, Japan 

Bridge to the Future 

Carolyn Ervin
Norfolk, Virginia

Birds of a Feather

Julie Park
Lexington, Kentucky

If You Cannot Stand

Elise Welch
Grandview, Missouri

We want to extend a huge congratulations to the winners and finalists of the 2020 Young Artists and Authors Showcase. For decades, Sister Cities International has leveraged the power that art has to transform societies and transcend cultural boundaries through the Young Artists and Authors Showcase. The Showcase has given youth worldwide the opportunity to express their vision for a more unified, peaceful world through original artwork and literature.

This year’s theme was “One World: Out of Many, We Are One” which highlights the importance of unity and community to transcend the differences. Students were encouraged to draw inspiration from their experience with Sister Cities, travel, exchange programs, international friendships, and the many ways that people cultivate relationships across cultures.

The U.S. Grand Prize winner in the art category is Rose Linn of Lexington, Kentucky  and the International Grand Prize winner in the art category is Haruto Tsuda of Osaka, Japan. Both of our Grand Prize Winners will receive a $1,000 cash prize.

The finalists in this category are as follows:

U.S. Finalists

  • Amber Lee (Santa Clarita, CA)
  • Ava Hardin (Wilmette, IL)
  • Penelope Choi (Columbia, MD)
  • Natalie Eden (Norfolk, VA)
  • Eike Mussig Contreras (Scottsdale, AZ)

International Finalists

  • Nadejda Rata (Ungheni City, Moldova)
  • Amane Iwahori (Fukui, Japan)
  • Hannah Jeong (British Columbia, Canada)
  • Luis Angel Equihua Gembe (Michoacán, México)
  • Ryota Suzuki (Narashino, Japan)

The Grand Prize winner, and recipient of a $1,000 cash prize, in the photography category is Carolyn Ervin of Norfolk, Virginia.

The finalists in this category are as follows:

  • Cassidy Biener
  • Erika Natalie
  • Lian Ziyu
  • Rubani Chugh
  • Riley Masterson
  • PuTian Gu

The Grand Prize winners in the writing category are Elise Welch of Grandview, Missouri for the poem, and Julie Park of Lexington, Kentucky for the essay. Both of our Grand Prize Winners will receive a $1,000 cash prize.

The finalists in this category are as follows:

Essay Finalists:

  • James Boylan (Delray Beach, FL)
  • Valeria Junguito (Bogotá, Colombia)

Poetry Finalists:

  • Sydney Hooper (Santa Clarita, CA)
  • Marat Bennet (Santa Barbara, CA)

In past years, Sister Cities International has sent the artwork on tour to several cities across the U.S. However, due to the pandemic, this year it will not be possible to do so. This year’s winners and finalists will have their work showcased on our website, making it accessible for many to appreciate their work. Please see the images below for the winners’ submissions.

For more information about the Young Artists and Authors Showcase, email [email protected] or visit our Young Artists and Authors Showcase (YAAS) webpage.

We Are All One

Rose Linn 
Lexington, Kentucky

Morning of Fertility

Haruto Tsuda 
Osaka, Japan 

Bridge to the Future 

Carolyn Ervin
Norfolk, Virginia

Birds of a Feather

Julie Park
Lexington, Kentucky

If You Cannot Stand

Elise Welch
Grandview, Missouri