EXPLORATION PARK, Fla.—Nov. 7, 2023—Florida Lieutenant Governor Jeanette Nuñez, Chair of Space Florida’s Board of Directors, recognized the 13 finalists of the 2023 Florida Space Art Contest. The Lieutenant Governor was joined by the students and their families, Space Florida President and CEO Robert Long, and the Florida Department of State Secretary Cord Byrd. The students also participated in a hands-on painting activity with internationally renowned artist Romero Britto.
This is the second annual Florida Space Art Contest led by the Lieutenant Governor. Over the last two years, more than 4,000 entries have been submitted across the state. Earlier this year, students in grades K-5 were invited to create an art piece inspired by the theme Time Travel to 2123: Florida’s Future as the Space Capital.
“It’s an honor to publicly recognize the bright and talented children who submitted their artwork for the Florida Space Art Contest,” said Lieutenant Governor Jeanette Nuñez. “We’re especially grateful to Romero Britto for inspiring these young artists to continue creating in their own unique style.”
The grand prize winners are Rafael Kleiman of Miami-Dade County and Ailynn Chen of Orange County. This year, the art contest also included the first-of-its-kind Romero Britto Award, given to Chloe Barry of St. Johns County.
“This event is a great reminder that we must invest in the next generation of leaders – whether that’s in our schools, in our businesses or even in space,” said Rob Long, President and CEO of Space Florida. “Initiatives like the Florida Space Art Contest help to plant the seeds of creativity, ingenuity and innovation that will continue to drive our industry forward.”
The artwork created by the two grand prize winners will be flown into space on an upcoming SpaceX mission. For more information, visit floridaspaceart.com.
About Space Florida: Space Florida is where leading aerospace companies get everything they need to see their new ideas take off. As that state’s aerospace finance and development authority, Space Florida brings a mix of unrivaled experience, unmatched financial tools, and unbeatable location to the table by providing critical business financing opportunities for the aerospace industry, managing infrastructure investment in the state’s spaceport system, and facilitating research and development, workforce, education, and investment programs. Visit www.spaceflorida.gov for more information.
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