TARC, Portland Museum, and JCPS unveil new bus designed by student artists
5/28 Press Conference will introduce 26th annual Design-a-Bus Contest winners and debut the winning artwork for the first time on a custom-wrapped TARC bus
TARC, the Portland Museum, and JCPS introduced the 2026 Design-a-Bus student-contest winners and unveiled the new bus design at a Thursday morning press conference at the Portland Museum.
The Design-a-Bus contest is open to all elementary, middle, and high school students in Jefferson, Oldham and Bullitt counties in Kentucky, and Floyd and Clark counties in Southern Indiana. This year students were invited to submit artwork focused on the theme: “Portals of Transition.” They were asked to reflect on a period of change, where they explored or tried something new, then created an illustration of that experience.
The 10 winning submissions by students are featured on a custom TARC bus wrap reflecting this year’s theme and partner. The student winners and their adult guests were invited to the debut of the bus at Portland Museum on May 28th, when the bus officially began service! The bus will operate on all TARC routes, and serve as the flagship bus for special events, and parades throughout the Louisville metro region for one full year.
Here are the 10 winning students and their schools:
Madalyn N. (Marion C. Moore)
Luca C. (Hawthorne Elementary)
Jayden G.H. (Marion C. Moore)
Danie S. (Western Middle School for the Arts)
Chrissy G. (Western Middle School for the Arts)
Cami K. (Crestwood Elementary)
Dallas G. (Nativity Academy at St. Boniface)
Yadso M. (Marion C. Moore)
Xavier W. (St. Agnes School)
Virgilio G. N. (Laukhuf Elementary)
“The Portland Museum is growing, and so is our sense of adventure,” said Katy Delahanty, Executive Director of the Portland Museum. “Through our partnership with TARC, each bus becomes a traveling invitation, a portal to play carrying the spirit of the new AHOY Children’s Museum into every neighborhood. Adventure on the move.” “The Design-a-Bus is a contest TARC staff and our city look forward to every year,” said Ozzy Gibson, Executive Director of TARC. “We’re excited for a great partnership with the Portland Museum as they expand, with the #5 Portland-Poplar Level route of the New TARC Network providing increased access to their new addition.”
