The Young Artists and Authors Showcase (YAAS) is an annual art contest that encourages youth worldwide to express the mission of Sister Cities International through original artwork, literature, poetry, photography, and music. Submissions are centered around an annual theme and judged based on originality, composition, and theme interpretation. Selected Grand Prize Winners in each category (art, literature, poetry, photography and music) win a $1000 prize while second place winners receive $250 and third place winners receive $100. After the winners have been announced, their works are displayed on the Sister Cities International website. Any Sister City program that is a member of Sister Cities international can participate in YAAS. The showcase is a great opportunity to engage local students, English teachers, and art teachers in your Sister City program.

The John G. Irvin Gallery was created to promote Kentucky's visual artists and opened in March 1987. The creation of the gallery was a labor of love and a passion of the late Irvin, a Lexingtonian and former employee of Central Bank. Over the years the gallery has hosted exhibitions by Kentucky’s finest artists, as well as new and emerging artists exhibiting for the first time. It is located on the 2nd and 3rd floors of the Central Bank building.