Sphere Unveils Winning Earth Day-Inspired Artwork On Exosphere From Eight Las Vegas-Based Student Artists
Winners of Second Annual Sphere XO Student Design Challenge Awarded Educational Scholarships or Donations to their Schools’ Art Programs
LAS VEGAS (April 22, 2025) – Sphere Entertainment Co. (NYSE: SPHR) announced today the winners of the Second Annual Sphere XO Student Design Challenge, which once again invited more than 100,000 Clark County-based students to create art for the Exosphere – the world’s largest LED screen. Eight Clark County-based students ranging from elementary school to college won the opportunity to have their Earth Day themed-artwork displayed on the Exosphere as part of Sphere’s celebration of planet Earth. The Challenge represents a collaboration between Sphere, the Clark County School District (CCSD) and University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). The winning students’ artwork will run in rotation on the Exosphere throughout the summer.
“The Exosphere is an impactful platform for public art and nearly a quarter of a million votes were cast in this year’s Challenge in support of the talented young student artists in our Las Vegas community,” said Rich Constable, Global Head of Government Affairs & Social Impact, Sphere. “We are proud to collaborate with CCSD and UNLV on this important initiative and we encourage all participants to continue to pursue their interests in the arts, science and technology.”
The winners of the Second Annual Sphere XO Student Design Challenge are:
- Elementary School:
- Leena Luu – Grade 5, Lucille S. Rogers Elementary School
- Maksim Gridunov – Grade 5, John W. Bonner Elementary School
- Middle School:
- Antonella Sanchez – Grade 8, Thurman White Academy of the Performing Arts
- Lily Huang – Grade 8, Kenny C. Guinn Middle School
- High School:
- Iris Copeman – Sophomore, Liberty High School
- Miguel Diaz – Senior, Green Valley High School
- College:
- Sebastian Rubi – Junior, UNLV
- Gage Glass – Senior, UNLV
The winners of the Sphere XO Student Design Challenge each drew from a range of inspirations for the art they created for the Exosphere, and are passionate about a variety of art forms. High school sophomore and Las Vegas native, Iris Copeman, was inspired by the Nevada landscape; while UNLV senior, Gage Glass, wanted to showcase the four seasons. 14-year-old Lily Huang was inspired by human connection to nature, while fifth grader Maksim Gridunov, high school senior Miguel Diaz, and UNLV junior Sebastian Rubi all focused on how we can work together to keep our planet beautiful for generations to come. Middle school winner Antonella Sanchez loves art class, and hopes to pursue a career as a 3D artist when she grows up, while fifth grader Leena Luu wants to pursue a career in science.
UNLV winner Glass said: “It’s quite incredible to have my art featured on the biggest canvas in the world after all this hard work and I’m still trying to wrap my head around it! I plan to use the scholarship towards my tuition for school so I could graduate with a major in entertainment engineering and design and a minor in music technology.”
Elementary school winner Luu said: “It feels so cool. Like, out of this world cool! It’s super exciting that my art is going to be on Sphere.”
The Sphere XO Student Design Challenge was open to Clark County-based students in grades 4-12 and select students from UNLV. More than 100 finalists were selected, and the eight winners – four selected by the public vote and four selected by judges, including renowned artists Shepard Fairey and Jen Stark, both of whom have recently designed for the Exosphere – were revealed to hundreds of students, families and community leaders during a special ceremony at Sphere on April 22. The ceremony included remarks from Sphere leadership, Congresswoman Dina Titus, Clark County Commission Chairman Tick Segerblom, CCSD Superintendent Jhone Ebert and UNLV Vice President Dr. Bo Bernhard for a trophy and check presentation. It also marked the first time the young artists saw their artwork displayed on the Exosphere.
In addition to having their work displayed on the Exosphere, winning CCSD high school and UNLV students received a $10,000 educational scholarship from Sphere. Winning CCSD elementary and middle school students earned a $10,000 donation from Sphere for their school’s art program to further art education in public schools, along with tickets for the entire school to attend The Wizard of Oz at Sphere this fall.
As part of the celebration event, guests from the community also enjoyed an Earth Day Celebration featuring creation stations curated in partnership with Las Vegas’ DISCOVERY Children’s Museum ahead of the ceremony honoring the winning students.
###