Art is Essential: 10th Annual San Francisco Youth Arts Summit

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Youth Art Exchange (YAX), a nonprofit that provides free arts programs for San Francisco public high school students, is hosting the Bay Area’s largest gathering of youth artists and youth-serving organizations, this year taking place virtually.

Art is Essential: The 10th Annual San Francisco Youth Arts Summit is a celebration of young artists and their vibrant contributions to the creative and cultural fabric of San Francisco. Now more than ever, art is essential for connection and reflection, social change, and building community, especially for youth.

We will be hosting a week-long virtual Youth Arts Summit from November 30th-December 4th with various workshops, panels, and professional development opportunities. The Youth Arts Summit culminates with the Youth Arts Celebration on Friday, December 4th from 4-5:30pm, with exhibitions of youth work, performances, and guest speakers, co-hosted by YAX’s Youth Advisory Board.

Workshops, panels and professional development for youth and adults will be presented by YAX’s Faculty Artists; YAX’s Youth Advisory Board; RYSE Youth Center; de Young Museum; California College of the Arts; SFMoMA; Teaching Artist Guild; Arts Education Alliance of the Bay Area; and San Francisco Art Institute.

The San Francisco Youth Arts Summit (SFYAS) is an annual gathering of young artists and arts educators, the only event of its kind in the Bay Area. Youth and representatives from organizations across the Bay Area come together to plan the Summit, building leadership and youth voice within the arts education and arts advocacy landscape, and forging deeper connections between young people and the organizations that they represent. The SFYAS represents the next generation’s most innovative artists, filmmakers, architects, musicians, performers, and writers.

SFYAS is supported by: California College of the Arts, Lick-Wilmerding High School, SFMoMA, iHeart Radio, Blick Art Materials and TPG. Participating organizations include: 826 Valencia; Arts Education Alliance of the Bay Area; Bay Area Video Coalition; California College of the Arts; Circus Center; CULK; de Young Museum; First Exposures; Jamestown Community Center; Leadership High School; Lick-Wilmerding High School; Queer Ancestors Project; RYSE Youth Center; San Francisco Art Institute; SFMoMA; Teaching Artist Guild; Today’s Future Sound; Yerba Buena Center for the Arts; Youth Art Exchange and more!

For additional information about the SFYAS, visit youthartexchange.org/sfyas.