The YUVA Festival

About the festival

YUVA is a collaborative choreography and performance platform for young and talented Indian classical artists (dance and music), curated and presented by Silambam Houston. YUVA strives to catalyze collaboration and creativity among young upcoming artists in the Indian classical arts, and to encourage them to 'find their artistic voice'. 

YUVA Artists, selected from among a pool of applicants, collaborate to create new artistic works for presentation at the YUVA festival.

The YUVA Residency and Festival is be held in September each year, in Houston. The application process typically opens in December of the previous year. Applications are invited from emerging, talented, and creative artists in all Indian classical arts genres. Successful applicants embark on a creative process over the spring and summer months, typically in collaboration with other artists in the YUVA cohort, culminating in a live presentation of original collaborative work in the fall.

Applications will be ranked based on both artistic merit and creative interests. The application deadline for the 2026 YUVA cycle is Dec 31, 2026.

Who should apply?

You should apply to YUVA if you

• are an individual Indian performing artist of any genre

• reside in or can travel to the United States

• have achieved pre-professional/professional proficiency

• are ready to explore the world of professional performance and artistic creativity

• are open to collaboration. 

YUVA 2026 TIMELINE

Application Deadline: Dec 31, 2025 (11.59 pm CST)

Finalists notified by: Jan 25, 2026

Finalist Interviews: Jan 25 to Feb 5, 2026

Applicants notified of decision by: Feb 15, 2026

Signed contracts due by: Feb 28, 2026

Cohort Orientation: Early March 2026

Creative Process Begins (specific deadlines will be communicated to successful applicants)

Residency Week in Houston: Sep 5-12, 2026

Live and livestreamed performance: Sep 12, 2026

Quick facts

• Application to and participation in YUVA is always free of charge to the artists.

• All YUVA artists receive domestic travel reimbursements to the extent possible

• All YUVA artists are provided accomodation and a per diem allowance during residency week in Houston.

• International travel and visas are not supported and are the responsibility of the artist.

Questions? Email us!