Blaine Alden Krauss Receives Ashley Longshore Excellence In The Arts Award, A $25,000 Unrestricted Prize

YoungArts announces Blaine Alden Krauss as the inaugural recipient of The Ashley Longshore Excellence in the Arts Award. This award is made possible by the generous support of artist Ashley Longshore and aims to deepen and expand support for artists in the disciplines of Theater, Photography and Visual Arts. Blaine Alden Krauss (2010 YoungArts Winner in Theater & U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts), who was chosen for his ambition, excellence and passion for musical theater, is currently starring in the national tour of "Hamilton," has appeared on Broadway and regularly performs with symphonies around the globe.

The Ashley Longshore Excellence in the Arts Award for musical theater is a tribute to the vibrant memory of Patrick B. Hale, an interdisciplinary artist in musical theater and visual arts. In the second and third years, the award will be granted to a winner in photography, in memory of photographer Alix Edmonson Martinez, and visual arts, respectively. In addition to the cash award, Blaine Alden Krauss and other winners will have opportunities for mentorship and continuing education that can have a significant influence the trajectory of an emerging artist's career.

"We are truly grateful to Ashley Longshore for her generosity and commitment to gifted emerging artists like Blaine, who exemplify the creativity and dedication to excellence that is central to the mission of YoungArts," said Lauren Snelling, YoungArts Artistic Director. "We are delighted to share in providing this support to Blaine and are confident this award will be transformative for his career."

"It is with all of my heart and my deepest passion for the arts to announce the recipient of the Ashley Longshore Excellence in the Arts Award. It is my dream to create a legacy of funding talent that deserves a chance to be seen. I crave art in every area of my life," said Ashley Longshore. "This year's award is in honor of my dear friend Patrick B. Hale who was a grand presence in musical theater in my hometown of Montgomery, Alabama. Artists need opportunity and a chance to share their vision with the world. I am so thankful for the opportunities I have been given, and giving back to creatives fills my soul with joy, enthusiasm and gratitude. We need art!"

Blaine Alden Krauss said, "Above anything, I am incredibly humbled to be given this award in the memory of Ashley Longshore's dear friend, Patrick B. Hale. It is a testament that we never know the influence and legacy that our lives will leave. I am graciously reminded of lyrics I get to sing nightly on the tour of Hamilton, 'You have no control...who tells your story.' Well, I get to hold this honor in Patrick's name and because of Ashley and YoungArts, I get to take this award and advance on my artistic pursuits, which simply is to be a reflection of the human experience. I am so incredibly moved and thankful."

Blaine Alden Krauss, a native of Tampa Bay, FL, is currently starring in the national tour of "Hamilton" as the standby for both Hamilton and Burr. He was thrilled to be part of the second season of "Pose" while appearing in "The Cher Show" on Broadway. Prior to that he was seen understudying Lola' in "Kinky Boots" shortly after making his Broadway debut in the hit "Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812." Blaine regularly performs with symphonies around the globe as an artist with Scott Coulter's Spot-On Entertainment and is a regular performer at Feinstein's/54 Below where he debuted his acclaimed solo show, "From the Soul." His talents led him in 2011 to be a feature performer for the largest commemoration of 9/11 outside of the U.S. at the Trocadero in Paris, France. He is a 2010 YoungArts award winner and a U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts. This venture led to having met President Obama and concluded with a performance at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.

For more information, visit youngarts.org.

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