BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — A young Bakersfield artist and her family are speaking out after her award-winning work was returned damaged from the Kern County Fair.
"So I was a little upset when I saw that at first." 14-year-old Lily Garrett, a young artist from Bakersfield, submitted six pieces to the Kern County Fair this year — and won first place on all of them. A few also earned “Best of Class.”
However, when her family picked up the artwork, much of it was damaged — including staples through matted prints, ribbons taped directly to the artwork, and a broken sculpture.
"I was kind of hoping just to maybe show it out there — and also because it was my first art competition. I figured it would be a nice experience. But my art kind of got trashed a little." Lily said.
A friend of the family sent a picture of the award — that’s when Lily first noticed the damage. "We were driving home. My elder sister and my mom saw the picture — 'Oh that’s so cool, that’s great.' And I take a close look at it… and it was broken." Lily said.
Lily’s family says they were also told there would be a cash prize for “Best of Class.” But when they picked up the artwork, fair staff told them the donor had backed out.
Jennifer Garrett is Lily’s Mother ad she says, "My husband… he didn’t even know about the cash prize when he went to pick them up. And she said, 'Oh, you have these — well, the donor fell through, so there’s no money.' So I’m assuming those would’ve received some kind of cash prize."
I reached out to the Kern County Fair for comment. They told me there was never a cash prize for “Best in Class,” only a rosette. They added, in part: “We’ll keep refining our processes with volunteers and partners, so the display experience keeps improving alongside the program’s growth. For clarity on judging and awards, we encourage all exhibitors and their parents to thoroughly review the rules and regulations prior to entry.”
The fair also said it was never their intention to damage any artwork. They explained that volunteers handle the displays under a tight turnaround — and they plan to go over procedures more closely with volunteers next year.
As for Lily, she says that even though this competition didn’t go the way she hoped, she’s not giving up on art.
"I would love to enter more competitions — because I think other competitions would likely handle my art with more care." She said.
Lily’s family hopes sharing her story will lead to better care and accountability for young artists in the future.
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