The Orange County Register has selected 108 semifinalists for its 2026 Artist of the Year program, recognizing some of the most accomplished and promising young artists across Orange County.
Now in its 13th year, the program — created as a companion to the newspaper’s annual Athlete of the Year honors — celebrates excellence across seven disciplines: theater, dance, instrumental music, vocal music, film and TV, fine arts and media arts.
This year’s semifinalists were selected from 888 nominees by a panel of arts educators, who reviewed applications, performance videos, portfolios, film samples and artistic résumés.
The competition now moves into its semifinal round, where students are interviewed by panels of distinguished arts professionals and faculty from Southern California colleges. Each student presents their work live and participates in a conversation about their artistic process and goals.
To ensure broader access, students compete in two divisions based on their level of training. Division 1 includes those with more extensive formal experience, while Division 2 is designed for students with fewer years of training. The structure helps create opportunities for emerging artists to be recognized alongside more seasoned peers.
From this group, three finalists in each discipline are selected, including at least one Division 2 student. One student in each discipline — seven in total — will be named a 2026 Artist of the Year, the program’s highest honor.
Finalists and Artists of the Year will be announced live at an awards celebration on May 13 at the Samueli Theatre on the campus of the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa. The event will feature performances and presentations by the program’s top students. Admission is free, though reservations are required.
The program is generously supported by the Chapman University College of Performing Arts and Segerstrom Center for the Arts, with additional support from Arts Orange County and individual donors.
Segerstrom Center resident companies Pacific Symphony and Pacific Chorale serve as award sponsors for instrumental and vocal music, helping provide cash awards to top students. The dance award is named in honor of Judy Morr, and Segerstrom Center sponsors the theater award.
Those interested in supporting Artist of the Year may contribute through Arts Orange County. For sponsorship opportunities, contact ocartistoftheyear@aoy.scng.com
Click on the links below to see the photos and lists for semifinalists: