Fund YoungArts - 12 Days of Proko
Every year I like to give back to my students with the 12 Days of Proko winter event. This year I wanted to give back to an organization that is very special to me.
The funds raised during this campaign will be going entirely toward the National YoungArts Foundation (youngarts.org ). If you’re in high school, or you know of a high school student who has some real skill in the arts, tell them to apply to the National Young Arts Foundation. It’s not just for visual artists. There are categories in dance, music, theatre and a few others...
Why Young Arts Foundation?
When I was a senior in high school I applied to the foundation and was one of the winners in the film category. I submitted my drawings and paintings into the Fine Art category and my Game of Pool animation into the Film category.
Going into the event in Miami, I didn’t know what to expect, but it ended up being one of the best things that happened for my art career. I think a lot of the artists that go through it agree, that they leave with an amazing amount of confidence in themselves and that they can do this. This hobby, this thing that they love to do can become a career. I left excited to continue my journey and 100% knew that this is it. This is what I’m gonna do.
The organizers of the event get a lot of credit for making this thing great. They do everything they can to set up their alumni for success. For example, some of the things that happened to me… I go to show my work at the Smithsonian museum, where I met the President of American Airlines. He decided to show my animation on all American Airlines flights for a few months. I ended up winning the Presidential Scholar Award and went to the White House. There were a bunch of other smaller events throughout the years where I got to show my work. Such as a dinner in New York for all their biggest donors. The man I was sitting next to ended up becoming a good friend, a mentor, and a patron of my art. He’s ordered a lot of commissions throughout the years.
It’s a really good program to get young artists started at the most sensitive time in their art journey. Right as they’re about to leave high school and make some difficult decisions.
Contribute for a chance to WIN:
Any contribution you can make to this campaign will be appreciated and extremely helpful in providing future opprotunities to young artists. As a 'Thank You' for supporting the art community, Court and I will be giving away our finished pieces we made for the 12 Days of Proko. At the end of the event, Court and I will randomly select 6 people who donated to this campaign. 5 of those winners will receive a signed framed print of Court's Elf caricature and 1 person will receive my original Santa Painting.
Also, everyone that donates will get a discount code to save 25% in the Proko Store. The code will be emailed to you a day after you make a contribution.
Thanks for an amazing year and Happy Holidays!
- Stan Prokopenko and the Proko Team
