2026

The winners of YCA 2026 were announced at the live awards show at Nottingham Playhouse on Wednesday 20th May 2026.

The YCA 2026 brochure detailing all shortlisted work, as well as messages from our sponsors and partners is available to download here. Once again it has been designed and arranged by long-time partners STENCIL.

The YCA 2026 winners were:

Design & Architecture:

  • Dylan Spence (11-15)
  • Alesha Rafiq-Williams (16-18)
  • Aylla Gill (19-24)

Animation & Digital Media:

  • Elliott Groom (11 - 15)
  • Libby Taylor (16 - 18) 
  • Calista Athaillah (19 - 24)

Creative Writing:

  • Salman Akhelarab (11 - 15 age group)
  • Ash Randall (16 - 18 age group)
  • Ray Sharma (19 - 24 age group) 

Dance:

  • Leia Aloysius (11 - 15)
  • Georgia Palmer (16 - 18)
  • Olivia Demetriou (19 - 24)

Fashion & Textiles:

  • Isla Bailey (11 - 15)
  • Lexa Lambert (16 - 18)
  • Bronwyn Crooks (19 - 24)

Film:

  • Cam Wilson, Isaac Savage, Kieran Donnelly, Zak Rothera-Oxley (16 - 18)
  • Jack Campling (19 - 24) 

Graphic Design:

  • Jessica Bull (16 - 18)
  • Kitty Ballard (19 - 24) 

Music:

  • Lourdes Amamio (11 - 15)
  • Ehren Doherty (16 - 18)
  • Jack Fong (19 - 24) 

Photography:

  • Matipa Gweshe (11 - 15)
  • Liza Sternberg (16 - 18)
  • Sam Williams (19 - 24)

Visual Arts:

  • Emily Higgs (11 - 15)
  • Danny Abbott (16 - 18)
  • Imarni Boyer-Nugent (19 - 24)