Detroit Youth Artists Congress launches to give young artists a voice in arts education
The Detroit Partnership for Arts Education, an initiative of Connect Detroit in partnership with Detroit Excellence in Youth Arts (DEYA), is launching the first Detroit Youth Artists Congress (DYAC), bringing together up to 30 young artists to help shape the future of arts education in Detroit.
Applications and nominations opened Oct. 28 and close Dec. 2, 2026.
Launched in partnership with the City of Detroit Office of Arts, Culture and Entrepreneurship (Detroit ACE), the new Congress will give young artists a platform to identify challenges, establish priorities and develop recommendations to be presented to Detroit’s mayor, policymakers and funders.
“Young people are at the heart of Detroit’s arts community, but they haven’t always had a seat at the table when decisions are made about the opportunities available to them,” said Nafeesah Symonette, executive director of DEYA. “The Detroit Youth Artists Congress is about changing that. We want young artists to tell us what’s working, what’s missing and what needs to change, and then bring their recommendations directly to the people who can help make those changes happen.”
The Youth Artists Congress is part of the Detroit Partnership for Arts Education (DPAE), a cross-sector citywide public-private partnership launched in 2025 with support from the Mayor, DPSCD Superintendent and leaders in Healthcare, Business, Education, Arts, and Community Development. DPAE was formed, with support from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Kresge Foundation, to support arts education access for all Detroit youth, emphasizing its benefit and application across a wide array of industry sectors.
“Expanding access to arts education takes more than any one organization working alone,” said Shuna K. Hayward, interim president and CEO of Connect Detroit. “It requires schools, community organizations, funders and civic leaders working together toward a shared goal. The Detroit Youth Artists Congress is an important part of that effort, helping us build a stronger, more connected arts education system that creates opportunities for young people across our city.”
The Youth Artists Congress will help inform DPAE’s efforts to support citywide arts education and youth arts access, ensuring young people’s perspectives are centered and reflected in decisions affecting them.
Two Detroit leaders will facilitate the inaugural Congress: Dr. Chanel Beebe, an artist, educator and founder of Beebe Arts LLC will serve as lead facilitator, and Angelica Williams, a youth advocate and data and program lead for the City of Detroit’s Office of Youth Affairs, will serve as supporting facilitator.
Dr. Chanel Beebe
Lead Facilitator Dr. Beebe brings a decade of experience in youth education and leadership development, along with extensive experience curating exhibitions and mentoring Detroit young people and artists. She holds degrees from the University of Michigan and Purdue University, including a PhD in Engineering Education and is currently a lecturer at the University of Michigan’s Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning and resident curator at The Congregation in Detroit.
Angelica Williams
Supporting Facilitator Williams brings experience in youth advocacy and civic engagement, including service on the Detroit Board of Police Commissioners’ Youth Advisory Panel and participation in national youth leadership initiatives. She is currently the Program Facilitator for the City’s Mayoral Youth Cabinet, while pursuing degrees in psychology and linguistics at Wayne State University.
Together, they will guide delegates through in-person gatherings and collaborative discussions to develop and approve a set of youth-led recommendations.
Applications are open to young artists ages 14 to 19. Most delegates will live or attend school in Detroit, Highland Park or Hamtramck, or participate in an arts organization based in one of those communities. A smaller number may be selected from outside those areas based on their connection to Detroit.
No formal arts training or extensive resume is required. Youth arts organizations, educators and individuals may nominate students for the Youth Artists Congress, but nominations are not necessary to apply:
Applications and nomination forms are available at www.deyayoutharts.com/yacdetroit through Dec. 2, 2026. Selected delegates will be notified by Dec. 14.
The Detroit Youth Artists Congress is supported through two years of seed funding from The Skillman Foundation, with Connect Detroit serving as fiscal sponsor.