Creative Youth Development is a commitment to supporting young people’s stories, ideas, and dreams through creative expression and honoring their lived experience. 

The AZ Creative Youth Development (CYD) Investment Cohort is an initiative that invests in arts and culture organizations and programs that center youth voice across Arizona. Piloted in 2020-21, the CYD Investment Cohort functions as a fusion of a cohort and granting program. The program aims to brings together a diverse cohort of young people and adult accomplices to share resources and struggles and engage with knowledge experts in the field to advance their skills as Creative Youth Development practitioners. A component of the program is a stipend of $5,000 to investment in the work of these organizations. 

Innagural CYD Investment Cohort

Border Youth Tennis Exchange, Nogales   

Creative Youth of AZ, Phoenix   

The Dunbar Pavilion, Tucson   

Launchpad Teen Center, Prescott   

Monsoon Lab, Globe   

Native American Composer Apprentice Project, Northern Arizona    

The Reading Series, Tucson   

REFRAME Youth Arts Center, Phoenix   

Rising Youth Theatre, Phoenix   

Yuma Arts Center, Yuma   

Creative Youth Development Resources

Creative Youth Development National Partnership 

What is Creative Youth Development?  

CYD National Action Blueprint  

National Youth Network  

Hart’s Ladder of Participation 

Partners

Ashley Hare, Deputy Director of Equity and Human Development at the National Guild  

Paula Ortega, CYD National Youth Coordinator​, Creative Youth Development National Partnership