2026 Access/VSA Emerging Young Artists Program: We Hold These Truths

The Access/VSA Emerging Young Artists Program, a Jean Kennedy Smith Arts and Disability Program, showcases the work of visual artists with disabilities, ages 16-25, who reside in the United States. This call for art asks artists to explore how the truths that they hold dear engage with their disability and artistic identities.

Fifteen winning artists are selected by a jury. Each winning artist receives a $3,000 financial stipend and has one of their submitted pieces selected for a national tour that starts at the Kennedy Center. Winning artists are required to attend virtual workshops (January 31, February 14, February 28) and an all-expenses-paid series of professional development workshops at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. March 10-14, 2026. Artwork will be judged by a panel of experts who are looking for artwork that demonstrates a high level of skill, expresses original ideas, and reflects the We Hold These Truths theme.

Eligibility: Artists must be between ages 16-25 on November 16, 2025; reside in the United States and have the right to work (includes 50 states, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Northern Marianas Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and U.S. Virgin Islands); have a disability as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act and be comfortable publicly identifying as an artist with a disability; and be available for virtual activities and in-person participation in Washington, D.C. March 10-14, 2026. Submitted artwork must be completed within the last 3 years and after the onset of disability. 2-Dimensional artwork cannot exceed 60 inches in height or width; 3-Dimensional artwork cannot exceed 48 inches in any direction when packed for shipping. Artists must submit images or videos of at least three different pieces and answer four application questions (300 words each). Winning artists will be notified by January 9, 2026. To request an accommodation or receive application materials in an alternate format, contact Wynsor Taylor at [email protected] no later than October 31, 2025.