The Bay Area Creative Foundation announced the 2026 Creative Youth awardees. The sixth annual Creative Youth Awards received submissions from Bay Area high school students in seven disciplines: creative writing, dance, film, music performance, original music, photography and visual arts. A jury of 40 discipline-specific Bay Area arts professionals reviewed the submissions.
More than 2,000 Bay Area high school students submitted creative works and 527 students received cash awards totaling $111,600. Among the participants were more than 360 students from Marin County, 91 of whom were honored with awards totaling $17,300. They include:
● “Windward” Luna Barreiro, Mill Valley; Presidential Award, film
● “Still in the Rush” Kayla Li, San Anselmo; Exceptional Award, photography
● “Venus as a Boy” Abby Tiu Mullarney, Corte Madera; Exceptional Award, visual art
● “Going Up” Cade Savage Schwartz, San Rafael; Exceptional Award, photography
● “Cramped” Rae McKinney, San Rafael; Creative Artist Award, Tin Man Awardee, visual art.
“These students represent the next generation of artists and problem-solvers,” said Dr. Emil Kakkis, Bay Area Creative Foundation founder. “The Bay Area has always been a place where innovation and artistry intersect. The Creative Youth Awards give us a front-row seat to the people whose ideas, perspectives, and movements could shape what comes next – as well as an opportunity to support young creatives at a pivotal moment in their development.”
The awards program will culminate at the day-long Creative Youth Celebration on June 27 at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco. Admission is free and will be open to the public. In addition to showcasing the artwork and performances of the 2026 Creative Youth Awards artists, there will be arts activities, professional artist panel discussions and the opportunity to connect with other young creatives from the Bay Area.
For more information, visit bayareacreativefoundation.org.
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