Last year’s program drew nearly 150 entries and included an open voting phase, during which the public was invited to visit www.preakness.com/the-art-of-racing to cast their vote for their favorite work of art.  

From March 13 through March 27 visitors to The Art of Racing website can cast their votes. The top 10 vote-getters will then be entered into the finalist category, with the winning piece selected by an esteemed panel of judges representing the artistic, business, philanthropic and political communities that provide support to Park Heights as the home of Preakness 148.

The winning artist of the second-annual competition will be awarded a $4,000 stipend and two tickets to Preakness 148 on May 20, 2023. In addition, their work will be reproduced on a curated collection of Preakness 148 merchandise that will be available for purchase online and onsite during Preakness weekend. Proceeds from merchandise sales will, once again, be directed to the Park Heights Renaissance, a non-profit organization pursuing employment opportunities and affordable housing for Park Heights residents.

1/ST and the Park Heights Renaissance have an ongoing partnership to raise awareness of Park Heights’ storied culture. The Art of Racing is among a series of initiatives between 1/ST and the Park Heights Renaissance that includes the George E. Mitchell Black-Eyed Susan Stakes and the George E. Mitchell Park Heights Community Fellowship Grant. As an extension of the late community advocate George E. Mitchell’s legacy, The Art of Racing recognizes and honors individuals who demonstrate a similarly remarkable commitment to the Park Heights community. 

[At Pimlico, idiosyncratic murals add “flavor of racing”]

“The artwork featured during last year’s inaugural competition was exceptional,” said David Wilson, Chief Marketing Officer, 1/ST. “Artists shared their interpretations of the thrill of victory, the heartbreak of defeat and the vibrant crowds of Thoroughbred horse racing fans coalescing each unforgettable year in the Preakness Stakes.”

The winner of last year’s competition was Theresia Zhang, a MICA student, whose original illustration titled “Speed” was selected from among the 147 total submissions. 

[Raoul Middleman, painted PImlico murals, passes]

Beginning in the 1970s, the partnership between MICA and the Preakness Stakes was revitalized by The Art of Racing. A nod to the seven murals created by then-MICA professor Raoul Middleman and his students that live in perpetuity behind Pimlico Race Course’s grandstand, the competition honors a tradition forged by both Maryland-based institutions defined by history, scholarship and character. 

“I imagine that Raoul Middleman would have been thrilled to see a MICA student win the competition in its inaugural year,” said Dr. Tiffany Holmes, MICA’s Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost. “Professor Middleman frequently introduced his students to site-specific artmaking, and The Art of Racing provides similar opportunities to new generations of artists and community members.”