YouTube NextUp: Are you the next big thing on YouTube?

Last year, our top YouTube partners generated more than 100 billion views and drew in millions of dollars through our revenue-sharing Partner Program. Talented Partners drew huge audiences with channels that showed people how to crochet flowers, apply the perfect lipstick - and sometimes just how to have fun.

We believe that the successful singers, dancers, actors, producers, musicians and make-up artists of the future are practicing their craft on YouTube today. As we said recently, Partners are the heart of our platform, and we want to see even more of them take the next step in their YouTube careers and turn their video hobbies into careers or even businesses.

Today we’re announcing YouTube Next’s second initiative, designed exclusively for up-and-coming YouTube Partners: YouTube NextUp. YouTube NextUp is about accelerating the growth of the next big YouTube stars. Up to 25 Partners from around the United States will be selected for the development program, which offers:

• $35,000 in funding to produce a new project, purchase new tools or advance their overall YouTube careers
• A spot at a four-day YouTube Creator Camp in which they’ll benefit from 1:1 mentoring and learn an array of production techniques from leading industry and YouTube experts
• Promotion of their final work and channel
• The opportunity to become better connected with a special community of aspiring and talented content creators from around the world

We’re asking existing YouTube Partners to apply with a short (up to three minute) video that best represents their craft and the initiatives that they’d like to pursue on YouTube--whether it be a new brand of talk show, short film, or other type of new content. We’re also asking for short written responses that explain how they’ll use the $35,000, why they want to be part of the program, and what they hope to learn at the YouTube Creator Camp. Partners can apply at youtube.com/youtubenextup by midnight PT on March 27, 2011.

Our Partners succeed thanks to the support and interest of the YouTube community, so we’re encouraging the community to cast their votes on the long list of finalists from March 29 to April 8 at youtube.com/creators, to indicate who they want to see among the next generation of stars. And after this public voting ends, a final shortlist of Partners will go forward to the final round, judged by a panel of YouTube representatives. Final YouTube NextUp winners will be announced on April 20 at youtube.com/creators.

Who should apply? Up-and-coming Partners (those with less than 300,000 subscribers) who are committed to advancing their YouTube careers and to produce the next generation of fresh, compelling content. Last week, we announced another initiative from YouTube Next, the YouTube Creator Institute - please note that eligible Partners need to choose whether to apply for either that program or YouTube NextUp - sorry, you can’t apply for both! Full program and application rules are here.

Stay tuned for more YouTube Next initiatives over the coming months--both for Partners and creators in the United States and abroad. We’re excited to see what novel new online experiences and genre-pushing productions our talented Partners come up with. Apply today!