This exhibition features more than 500 works of art and writing by New York City teens who received the highest regional recognition in the 2025 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards—the Gold Key Award. Presented by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, the Scholastic Awards are the longest-running and most prestigious recognition program for creative teens in the United States. The Met is honored to host this annual exhibition and celebrate the creativity of these young artists.
This year more than 2,500 students in grades 7 to 12 entered nearly 14,800 works to the New York City Region of the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, encompassing nearly 250 schools in all five boroughs. In addition, more than 200 literary and visual arts professionals served as judges, selecting works based on originality, skill, and emergence of a personal voice or vision.
The Alliance for Young Artists & Writers’ mission is to identify students with exceptional artistic and literary talent and present their visionary work to the world through opportunities for recognition, exhibition, publication, and scholarships. Established in 1923, the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards bring the work of young people to regional and national audiences. Former winners include artists Andy Warhol, Cy Twombly, Kay WalkingStick, and John Baldessari—all represented in The Met collection—as well as Tschabalala Self, Stephen King, José Parlá, Amanda Gorman, Charles White, and Joyce Carol Oates.
To learn more about the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers and the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, visit artandwriting.org, contact info@artandwriting.org, or connect on Instagram @artandwriting and use #GoldKey.
See a complete list of 2025 New York City Scholastic art award recipients and writing award recipients.
The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards are presented by the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, and are made possible through the generosity of Scholastic Inc., The Maurice R. Robinson Fund, Public Funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, Dedalus Foundation, Arthur F. and Alice E. Adams Charitable Foundation, Cornelia T. Bailey Foundation, Robert Lehman Foundation, AEO Better World Foundation, and the Cowles Charitable Trust.