Registration for the Young Artists Awards auditions is now open to area students ages 8-21.

$25,000 in savings bond scholarships and other prizes will be awarded this year.

Now in its ninth year of programming, the Young Artists Awards is Southwest Florida’s premiere performing arts audition, performance, education and scholarship program for students.

Participants will have the opportunity to perform before panels of professional adjudicators. More than 40 judges from across the nation participated last year. Students will receive scoring sheets and written comments from all members of their judging panel.

The panel will choose 22 students to perform individually at a gala at the Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre on March 4, 2012.

Eleven runner-up students also will perform in a coached group number. An “Audience Choice” award will be voted on by audience members in attendance that evening.

All participating students also will have a chance to perform at various community events. As a not-for-profit organization, the Young Artists Awards also collaborates with other area organizations to provide additional information about opportunities to student participants in the performing arts.

Auditions will be held at the Alliance for the Arts on Saturday, Jan. 14, Sunday, Jan. 15, and Saturday, Jan. 21, in the following eleven categories

Dance: ages 8-14

Dance: ages 15-21

Contemporary Voice (including musical theatre): ages 8-12

Contemporary Voice (including musical theatre): ages 13-16

Contemporary Voice (including musical theatre): ages 17-21

Classical Voice: ages 13-16

Classical Voice: ages 17-21

Instrumental Music: ages 13-16

Instrumental Music: ages 17-21

Drama: ages 13-16

Drama: ages 17-21

Students may audition in multiple categories.To guarantee an audition slot registrations must be postmarked by Dec. 15. A limited number of late registrations will be accepted on a space-available basis only if postmarked before Jan. 2012. Note that many students were unable to participate last year because of space and time limitations, so submit your registration now! Visit www.youngartistsawards.org to download a registration form. Email Katherine Boren at director@youngartistsawards.org or call 239-574-9321 for more information.