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YG21

Founded in 1996 as a showcase of emerging creative talent, Young Guns is a portfolio-based competition for creative professionals 30 years of age or under has grown to become one of the most coveted accolades in the global creative community.

If you win you will join the eclectic ranks of creative superstars like The Daniels, James Victore, Jessica Walsh, Timothy Goodman, Olimpia Zagnoli, Menno Kluin, CALMATIC, Dana Tanamachi, Christoph Neimann, Ohni Lisle, Kerby Jean-Raymond, Mah Ferraz, AV Rockwell, Tré Seals, and so many others.

YG21 is open to creative people 30 or younger with at least two years of professional experience and a portfolio featuring amazing creative work in anything from advertising, graphic design, illustration, photography, filmmaking, animation and beyond.

This year's branding is created by YG18 winner Zuzanna Rogatty.

YG21 is now closed to new entries. Finalists will be announced on September 28, 2023 and winners will be announced on October 30, 2023. The YG21 Awards Ceremony will take place on November 15, 2023 at Sony Hall in New York City.

LEVINE/LEAVITT YG ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

Levine/Leavitt has been a proud partner of Young Guns since 2014. Each year, they select an individual from the incoming class as its Artist In Residence Award winner, presenting them with a full year of artist and career management representation. Past winners include artists such as Gemma O’Brien, Armando Veve, Yuval Haker, and Danaé Gosset.

However, in order to be named an Artist-In-Residence winner, you must also win Young Guns, a herculean task of skill and luck that thousands of creatives have strived for but few have achieved. For some, the entry fee for Young Guns is the first barrier.

In order to help creatives over that hurdle, Levine/Leavitt is pleased to announce the Levine/Leavitt Young Guns Assistance Program, open to illustrators and photographers who qualify for Young Guns 21 but may not have the means to enter with ease. Successful applicants will be gifted with free entry into the Young Guns 21 competition courtesy of Levine/Leavitt — a first step towards possible Young Guns glory!

Deadline for Applications: June 30, 2023

The Levine/Leavitt YG Assistance Program application portal is now closed.

COLORFUL

The One Club for Creativity — in partnership with first-generation Filipinx designer and Young Guns 8 winner Rich Tu — is ecstatic to host a third exciting season of COLORFUL, the worldwide portfolio competition aimed at putting BIPOC creative professionals in the spotlight en route to even further acclaim in the globally renowned Young Guns 21.

COLORFUL not only serves as a gateway to the renowned Young Guns competition, but it also provides prize grants for its top finishers.

The winners and finalists for COLORFUL 2023 have been announced!