The 2026 Creative Youth Collective Scholarship supports exceptional young writers in bringing ambitious creative projects to life, from idea generation to publishing.

What: Fall Semester scholarships for creative writers beginning in September 2026

Who: Motivated writers ages 15–21 (Exceptional applicants slightly outside this age range will be considered)

When: Applications accepted from January 21 — March 21st, 2026

Writing, Imagination, & the Work of World-Building

The Creative Youth Collective (CYC) is a creative mentorship program for young writers who are ready to take their work seriously, hone their original voices, and develop sustainable creative practices. We work with independent, motivated authors who are committed to long-form projects and who seek highly personalized guidance as they prepare those projects for publication.

Our annual CYC Scholarship supports writers ages 15–21 who demonstrate exceptional commitment to their creative practice and a willingness to engage deeply with imagination, reflection, and craft. Exceptional applicants slightly outside this age range will also be considered. Applications are due March 21, 2026. Finalist interviews will be scheduled in April 2026 and winners will be announced May 1, 2026. The fall scholarship semester runs from September through December 2026 and includes 13 one-to-one mentorship sessions.

What We Mean by Mentorship

The CYC is not a class, a workshop series, or a formula-driven writing program. Our work is highly collaborative and grounded in one-to-one mentorship that follows a writer through the full arc of a creative project—from the earliest glimmer of an idea to drafting, revision, publication, and public presentation.

We believe that strong writing develops over time, through attention, conversation, and sustained practice. As mentors, we work closely with each author to help them clarify and amplify their unique voices, develop consistent creative habits, and make thoughtful decisions about form, structure, and meaning.

Creativity as World-Building

In the CYC, we understand creativity not only as a form of personal expression, but also as a practice of world-building—of imagining futures beyond the limits of the present.

We are especially interested in writers who want to explore the world through imagination, experimentation, and inquiry, and who are curious about how creative work can engage questions of meaning, identity, ecology, culture, and possibility. Applicants are encouraged to think expansively about the form, scope, and possibilities of the projects they propose, including nontraditional, hybrid, or experimental approaches to creative writing.

A EVOLVING Program with a Track Record

Since its founding, the CYC has supported young authors in completing ambitious creative projects and bringing them into public life. To date, we have published 25 books by youth authors ages 10–19, many of which have been added to permanent collections at institutions such as the San Mateo Public Library and the International Library of Young Authors in San Francisco.

Beyond publication, we support authors who wish to extend the impact of their work. Writers may choose to donate royalties from book sales to causes they care about, and the CYC matches those donations. We also facilitate public readings, talks, and presentations in partnership with libraries, schools and cultural institutions.

Beginning in 2026, the CYC has expanded to include offerings for older writers who are ready for deeper engagement and more ambitious projects. This evolution reflects our commitment to cultivating a community of young authors who are not only creative, but reflective, driven, and eager to participate in larger cultural conversations.

The Creative Youth Collective Scholarship plays a central role in allowing us to recognize the creative potential and commitment of teen and young adult authors.

The Scholarship Experience

A Semester-long membership in the Creative Youth Collective includes:

• Thirteen one-to-one mentorship sessions focused on shaping, revising, and producing an original creative project

• Thoughtful written feedback between meetings to sustain momentum, strengthen craft, and support deep inquiry

• Invitations to Creative Youth Collective events, fostering peer conversation, connection, and community

• Full support through publication, culminating in the release of the recipient’s completed work and the first printed copy of their book

  During the Fall 2026 semester, awardees will participate in thirteen one-to-one mentorship sessions designed to strengthen their voice, deepen their creative process, and bring an original project to publication. The full scholarship is valued at $6,000; three shortlisted applicants will also receive partial scholarships valued at $1,000. 

The CCC Project

The Creative Youth Collective is part of The CCC Project, an arts and humanities initiative dedicated to fostering imagination, inquiry, and creative world-making across generations. Founded by artist and educator Kathryn Ian, The CCC Project weaves together mentorship, creative practice, and cultural engagement to support emerging voices and to reimagine how the humanities can flourish outside conventional academic models.

As The CCC Project continues to grow, the CYC serves as its youth-facing core—a place where imagination is treated not as enrichment, but as a serious and transformative practice.

Is This Program Right for You?

The Creative Youth Collective Scholarship is designed for writers who:

• Are motivated to work consistently, independently, and collaboratively

• Want sustained mentorship rather than short-term instruction

• Are curious about how creative writing connects to the world beyond the page

• Are open to experimentation, revision, and growth

If that sounds like you, we would love to hear from you!

Past CYC Scholarship Recipients