Baltimore will celebrate its equestrian roots by having its longstanding horse racing event, The Preakness Stakes—the second jewel of the Triple Crown—memorialized in art.
Submissions are now in for “The Art of Racing,” an inaugural community-wide call for amateur and professional artists to submit works inspired by the esteemed thoroughbred competition.
Now they will be put to a public vote from March 2 through March 20.
Visitors to The Art of Racing website will be able to cast their vote for their favorite work among the 129 submissions of original, 2D visual art pieces depicting the unique elements of thoroughbred racing and The Preakness Stakes and view descriptions with the inspiration behind them.
The top 10 artists will move on as finalists. A panel of judges representing the artistic, philanthropic and political communities in support of the Park Heights community, home of The Preakness, will select the winner.
The Art of Racing is an effort from 1/ST and The Maryland Jockey Club in partnership with the Maryland Institute College of Art. Many of the submissions were produced by students in eight of the school’s art and design classes.
“The visual elements behind the Preakness Stakes captivate the imagination both on race day and year-round,” says David Wilson, chief marketing officer of 1/ST, in a news release.
As one of the most iconic sporting events in Maryland—and nationwide—”it also represents the opportunity for a modern visual interpretation of the Preakness Stakes as we redefine the sport to connect with a new generation of fans,” he adds.
The partnership between The Preakness Stakes and MICA dates back 40 years. In the 1970s, a MICA professor, Raoul Middleman, instructed his classes in painting murals of the Pimlico Race Course, the setting for The Preakness.
These murals are behind the course’s grandstand today. They provide “an intimate look at a tradition defined by history and character,” according to a history provided on the competition’s website.
The winner of The Art of Racing will receive a $4,000 stipend and two VIP passes to the 147th Preakness in May, where the winning art will be sold with race merchandise.
All proceeds will go to the Park Heights Renaissance—a local nonprofit supporting affordable housing and employment opportunities in the Park Heights community—as part of an ongoing partnership with 1/ST.
