YOUNG ARTISTS AND AUTHORS SHOWCASE
Friendship: The Heartbeat of Global Peace
DEADLINE TO APPLY: APRIL 1, 2025
Sister Cities International is proud to present the 2025 Young Artists and Authors Showcase, inviting youth from around the world to express their creativity through the theme “Friendship: The Heartbeat of Global Peace.” This year’s theme highlights the power of friendship to foster understanding, collaboration, and peace across borders.
Open to artists, writers, photographers, and musicians aged 12-18, the Showcase provides a unique platform to explore how global friendships can drive positive change and bridge cultural divides. Submissions will be accepted in various mediums, including visual art, essays, poetry, and music.
By participating in this inspiring competition, young creators will have the opportunity to share their vision of a peaceful world and contribute to the international dialogue about the importance of building friendships across nations. Winning entries will be featured in Sister Cities International’s global network, inspiring communities and leaders worldwide.
2024 Classic Art Showcase Winner
“Reflect,” Loralee House, Norfolk Sister City Association
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 :
How can friendship transcend cultural, language, or national barriers to create lasting peace?
What symbols or imagery represent the connection between friendship and global harmony?
In what ways can friendships between individuals or communities inspire positive change in the world?
How do acts of kindness and understanding between friends contribute to a more peaceful global society?
What does the “heartbeat” of global peace look like in your personal experience of friendship across borders?
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.
This year, we are reintroducing an in-person aspect to the competition. Winners will be required to send framed versions of their original artwork to the Sister Cities International National Office in Washington, DC, at their own expense. Further details will be shared with winners in early summer 2025. The winning artwork will also be featured on the Sister Cities International website after the announcement.
All cash prizes for the 2025 winners must be claimed within one month of receiving notification of their win.
Eligibility Criteria
Please read the following details carefully. All additional questions can be directed to [email protected].
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.
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]).
No, all submissions must be coordinated with your local sister city program.
Click here, to view a guide on How to Organize Your Local Competition.
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.
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.
No, all applications will be taken virtually. Winners will be asked to provide a physical copy of their artwork and will be contacted with further information in early summer 2025.
Denver Sister Cities International wants to submit applications for YAAS 2025. They can submit the below amount of entries per category.
Denver, CO can submit a maximum 60 total entries:
Their sister city Brest, France can submit a maximum of 60 total entries:
So on and so forth for each of Denver, CO sister city programs.
