YouTube is giving its users a big incentive to brush up on their artistic chops. The video hosting site just announced a contest that gives up to 25 contestants $35,000 each. The initiative aims to give users the funds to develop their talents and launch a YouTube-based career.

"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," says the company blog. Here are the details:

• $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

The contest is likely a bid to improve the quality of content on YouTube, which ranges from exceptionally creative to absolutely mind-numbing.

In any event, good luck to YouTube and a hat-tip to The Onion, which foreshadowed the day YouTube begged its users to create better content long ago:

YouTube Contest Challenges Users To Make A 'Good' Video

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John Hudson