March 27, 2018. Louisville, KY.  30 Kentuckiana students from grades K-12 were honored tonight at J Graham Brown School for their artistic achievement in the Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation Student Art Contest Presented by The Fillies, Inc. A panel of local artists selected the winners. Of the hundreds of entries, some of the most popular themes among the winning artwork this year were the Great Steamboat Race, U.S. Bank Great BalloonFest, the Republic Bank Pegasus Parade, and Thunder Over Louisville.

Six students from Rangeland Elementary, under the direction of Christa Hudson, and five students from Norton Commons Elementary, under the direction of Sarah Maxwell Miller, had winning and/or honorable mention entries. In addition, there were seven winning and/or honorable mention entries among the Catholic school system.

The first-place winners in all divisions receive a 2018 framed Festival Poster by 2018 Official Poster Artists and sisters, Jeaneen Barnhart and Doreen Barnhart DeHart. First-place winners also win a chance to appear in the 2018 Republic Bank Pegasus Parade. All winners receive a medallion, certificate, T-shirt, and a Student Art Contest winner’s pin. Teachers of the winning students were also invited to the ceremony and received special recognition.

The original artwork by area students will be on display at the Pegasus Parade Preview Party Presented by the Louisville Mega Cavern hosted at the Kentucky Exposition Center, South Wing C. The event begins at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 1.

The Festival has offered this opportunity for area students to showcase their creative skills since 1977.  The Foundation’s Student Art Contest is sponsored by Fillies, Inc. The Fillies, Inc. was founded in 1959 kicking off a tradition of volunteer service to the local community. They are joined by Media Sponsor ARTxFM.