Texas Border Business
AUSTIN, Texas – The statewide arts advocacy nonprofit Texas Cultural Trust (TXCT) and Texas Commission on the Arts (TCA) are now accepting applications for the 2026 Butler Texas Young Masters program, a joint initiative awarding scholarships to outstanding young artists across the state.
Recently renamed the Butler Texas Young Masters—in honor of devoted arts patrons Sarah and Dr. Ernest Butler whose transformative $2.5 million endowment ensures the program’s lasting impact—this initiative spotlights and invests in Texas students who have demonstrated excellence in dance, theatre, musical theatre, literary arts, music, visual arts, and other creative disciplines. Every two years, outstanding arts students in grades 8 through 11 are selected and honored at a prestigious awards ceremony, receiving a $10,000 scholarship over the course of two years to fuel their creative growth and help advance their arts education.
“At the Texas Cultural Trust, we are proud to recognize our state’s exceptional talent, while uplifting the next generation of creative brilliance,” says TXCT CEO, Heidi Marquez Smith. “Through the Butler Texas Young Masters program, we hope to empower students and provide the support they need to pursue their dreams with confidence. We look forward to recognizing the next wave of young artists who are shaping the cultural legacy of our state.”
Applications for the 2026 class of the Butler Texas Young Masters are open now through November 3rd, 2025. The program is available to students engaged in the arts, offering grant funding to develop their unique talents with professional arts training and experiences. Past recipients have gone on to participate in distinguished opportunities, from attending Juilliard’s prestigious summer program to being featured on the renowned reality show, So You Think You Can Dance. Recipients of the Butler Texas Young Masters grants will be announced in Spring 2026 and will be recognized at a performance-filled award ceremony in Austin, Texas, on April 13, 2026, at ZACH Theatre.
For more information on the Texas Cultural Trust and application criteria for the Butler Texas Young Masters, visit https://txculturaltrust.org/what-we-do/texas-young-masters/.
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About Texas Cultural Trust
Texas Cultural Trust is a 501c3 nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting and increasing access and awareness for the arts across the state. Programs of the Texas Cultural Trust include the Texas Medal of Arts Awards, Art Can, Texas Young Masters, Texas Women for the Arts, Partners in the Arts, and Arts Access. Texas Cultural Trust efforts are amplified by its partners who are instrumental in the success of leading a cohesive voice for the arts in education, advocacy, and economic impact in Texas, spotlighting the artistic excellence of our state. For more information on the Texas Cultural Trust, please visitwww.txculturaltrust.org.
About Texas Commission on the Arts
TCA was organized in 1965 by the Texas Legislature to develop a receptive climate for the arts in Texas. TCA supports a diverse and innovative arts community in Texas, throughout the nation and internationally by providing resources to enhance economic development, arts education, cultural tourism and artist sustainability initiatives. For more information on TCA and its programs, please visit www.arts.texas.gov.
