Redlands Festival of Arts announces 2026 award winners
Redlands Festival of Arts honored juried artists, student chalk artists and youth arts groups after its Memorial Day weekend event.
REDLANDS, Calif. — Organizers of Redlands Festival of Arts announced the winners of its 2026 juried art show, student chalk art competition and youth education grants following the annual Memorial Day weekend event in Smiley Park.
The announcements were made during the festival’s annual Artist Awards Dinner on May 23 near the Lincoln Memorial Shrine, according to organizers.
Festival juror selections for the professional art show included Ming-Chu Oye, who received the Best in Show award.
In the two-dimensional category, Richard Curtner earned first place, followed by Stephen Schubert in second, Elaine Hughes in third and Adeola Davies-Aiyeloja receiving honorable mention.
Three-dimensional art winners included Ash Silver in first place, Sena Chik in second, Ramon and Rosa Velasques in third and KC Klug receiving honorable mention.
The festival also recognized local high school students in its “Blue Boy in a Redlands World” chalk art parody competition, sponsored by the Margaret Clark Art Education Enrichment Fund.
Eliyza Balbastro of Redlands High School won first prize for “Blue Victor Deciding Who To Wed.” Briana Remedios of Redlands High School earned second place for “Blue Girl Nami,” while Jennifer Elizalde Nava of Redlands East Valley High School placed third for “Beauty and the Beast (The Rose).” Grace White of Redlands East Valley High School received honorable mention for “Looney Tunes.”
Additional participating students included Quinn Regalado, Linda Villanueava and Alexa Lorenzano of Redlands High School, along with Enisa Menesis and Mikaela Steiner of Redlands East Valley High School.
Festival Chair Tracy Massimiano praised the student artists and the teachers and volunteers who helped coordinate the competition.
“Our Redlands students did a terrific job with Blue Boy, which is a sophisticated theme that required a lot of creativity,” Massimiano said in a statement.
Massimiano also thanked Redlands High School art teacher Sean Regalado and artist Malia Miguel, a former chalk art competition winner and University of Redlands graduate, who recreated the festival’s themed artwork in chalk for promotional materials.
Festival director David Schepps announced youth art education grants for Micah House, the Redlands Art Association, the Redlands Youth Education Academy and the Redlands Pottery Project. Organizers said the funding will support art supplies and staffing for youth programs.
Festival board president Lynn Whitmer thanked sponsors, volunteers and community partners who supported the free annual event.
“We’re grateful for our many returning and new festival sponsors,” Whitmer said in a statement. “Their shared faith in the festival’s mission to bring high-quality artists and their artwork to the Redlands community and to provide youth arts education grants is what keeps us going.”
Organizers said the festival’s annual Youth Art Expo received more than 140 student entries from Redlands schools this year. The exhibit, along with children’s art activities and face painting, was supported through funding from the Margaret Clark Art Education Enrichment Fund.
The Redlands Art Association also hosted its annual “Art in the Park” exhibit during the festival weekend, featuring more than 50 local artists displaying and selling artwork on the lawn near the Redlands Bowl.
