Kudos to Mia Langford for her First Place entry in the 2021 TARC/Derby Festival Design-A-Bus Contest! Her painting features an impressionist style rendition of downtown Louisville with a heart containing the words “REDISCOVER.”

Traditionally, the Student Art Contest is centered around the Derby Festival and its events, but the theme of this year’s competition emphasized a broader message of hope. TARC and the Kentucky Derby Festival’s Foundation joined forces and merged their annual art competitions for the first time, as part of a special partnership in 2021. 

Students were asked to reflect on the challenges they faced in 2020 and the changes in their day-to-day life; choose a word using the prefix “Re” (e.g. Re-imagine, Re-start, Re-build, Re-cover, Re-birth, Re-organize, Re-connect, Re-unite, etc.); and then create an image based on that word. The goal is that each artwork will share a message of optimism for the future. (For example: Re-imagine favorite Derby Festival Events, Re-connect with friends, Re-build the community.)

Be sure to watch for Mia’s work to be featured on a TARC Bus near you! Student artwork will also be included on buses during the “Touring Pegasus Parade” this weekend (April 10-11, 2021)

WAY TO GO, MIA!!