The Ashley Longshore Excellence in the Arts Award is a $25,000 unrestricted award supported by artist Ashley Longshore that deepens and expands support for artists in the disciplines of photography, musical theater and visual arts. In addition to the cash award, artists have the opportunity to benefit from further mentorship; continuing education that can influence the trajectory of their careers. For Spring 2024, the award will be granted to a past YoungArts winner in Visual Arts.
In its inaugural year, the award was granted to actor and vocalist Blaine Krauss (2010 Theater & U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts), honoring the vibrant memory of Patrick B. Hale, an interdisciplinary artist in musical theater and visual arts. In its second year, photographer Daveed Baptiste (2016 Winner in Photography and Visual Arts) was awarded in memory of Alix Edmondson Martinez.
To be considered for the award, all candidates must be visual artists, 25 years or older and exemplify the traits of artistic rigor, excellence, and a love of their craft. We welcome candidates from all lived experiences, and especially encourage female-identifying BIPOC visual artists to consider this opportunity.