Horizon High junior Sawyer Gambrel, named the 2024 YoungArts winner, is performing in Phoenix Ballet’s “The Nutcracker,” which plays through Dec. 23 at the Orpheum in downtown Phoenix.
What a week for a high-flying ballerina!
Sawyer Gambrel, a junior at Horizon High School, has been named a 2024 YoungArts winner with distinction in ballet – the organization’s highest honor.
Sawyer is performing in Phoenix Ballet’s “The Nutcracker,” which plays through Dec. 23 at the Orpheum in downtown Phoenix.
Beyond Horizon, Sawyer’s dream is to continue her ballet and academic studies with the ultimate goal of joining a professional ballet company.
Horizon High junior Sawyer Gambrel, named the 2024 YoungArts winner, is performing in Phoenix Ballet’s “The Nutcracker,” which plays through Dec. 23 at the Orpheum in downtown Phoenix.
The YoungArts award is a huge step in her budding career, as she joins nearly 700 of the most accomplished young visual, literary, and performing artists from throughout the country.
YoungArts award winners are selected through a highly competitive application, which is reviewed by panels of esteemed, discipline-specific artists in a rigorous adjudication process.
“We’re honored to recognize and encourage these artists at this critical stage in their careers,”said YoungArts President Clive Chang, “and we’re looking forward to playing an active, ongoing role in what will no doubt be an incredible artistic journey for each of them.”
As a winner with distinction, Sawyer will participate in National YoungArts Week in Miami, Jan. 7-13.
During the week, artists have opportunities to share their work, experience interdisciplinary classes and workshops, and receive mentorship from leading artists in their fields.
Throughout the week award winners are further evaluated for cash awards of up to $10,000.
Horizon High junior Sawyer Gambrel, named the 2024 YoungArts winner, is performing in Phoenix Ballet’s “The Nutcracker,” which plays through Dec. 23 at the Orpheum in downtown Phoenix.
Following National YoungArts Week, Sawyer is eligible to be nominated to become a U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts.
According to YoungArts, award winners “have demonstrated exceptional technique, a strong sense of artistry, and an extraordinary commitment to developing their crafts.”
Winners were selected from more than 9,000 applications across 10 artistic disciplines – classical music, dance, design, film, jazz, photography, theater, visual arts, voice, and writing.
As a YoungArts award winner, Gambrel joins the likes of Daniel Arsham, Terence Blanchard, Camille A. Brown, Timothée Chalamet, Viola Davis and Amanda Gorman.
The YoungArts competition is open to artists 15-18 years old (or in grades 10 – 12).
Information: youngarts.org/competition.