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YA/YA works with artists of all ages and in many different ways. When a young artist joins our program, they experience artistic training, academic tracking, and a new community. Artists can join as early as age 13, and many new participants sell their first piece of art within six months of joining.

After six months to a year, an artist can expect to advance to the rank of Apprentice. Commissions increase, as do responsibilities and opportunities within YA/YA. Artists may find themselves beginning to mentor other young artists at community events or during field trips, and they are eligible for travel, one of the great benefits of YA/YA membership.

After the Apprentice level, artists can be elected to join the YA/YA Guild, which bring still greater rights, responsibilities, and opportunities for art-based income.

By advancing to the Guild before graduating from high school, an artists earns the right to join the Senior Guild of YA/YA, including paid mentorships, artist-in-residence positions, and solo exhibit opportunities.

Beyond the Guild, YA/YA maintains relationships with many of our alumni, who are eligible for our Residency program as well as paid mentorships and commission work on behalf of YA/YA. In this way, YA/YA is able to build an ever-stronger community and network for the young artists whom it is our mission to reach. We call it "Recycling Success:" generating our energy and power from within our own programmatic impact.