On Saturday, January 10, 2026, Bardstown City Schools brought together past, present, and future during the Smotherman Arts Wing Preview and the 20th Anniversary of Strings Celebration.
The future Smotherman Arts Wing is named in honor of Dr. Robert Smotherman, who served as superintendent of Bardstown City Schools from 1983 to 2005. In 1985, he established the Bardstown Education Foundation for Excellence in Public Education, which continues to support students and schools.
“Dr. Smotherman was a model and champion for meaningful innovation, and for him, the arts are so important for students. He understood that music matters, creativity matters, and that when students are given access to the arts, they are given something that stays with them for life.”
During the event, families and community members viewed renderings of the Smotherman Arts Wing, part of the Fifth Street renovation. The project will transform the former A-Wing into a dedicated arts hub with spaces for strings, chorus, band, visual arts, and drama, along with an outdoor performance space, a green room, and a central arts wing lobby.
Mrs. Janice Smotherman spoke on behalf of the Smotherman family, thanking the district and community for honoring Dr. Smotherman’s legacy and recognizing the importance of arts education.
Reflecting on Dr. Smotherman’s leadership, educator Brent Holsclaw shared:
“Dr. Smotherman inspired us to be pioneers. Leading the way for other school systems to model our program. And most of all, he gave us a clear vision of how to enrich and how to add value to the lives of our students.”
he event also marked the 20th Anniversary of the Bardstown Strings program, which began in 2005 for elementary students and expanded in 2010 with a full-time instructor. Under the leadership of Mrs. Paola Land, the Strings program has seen:
-
- Distinguished ratings at KMEA Large Ensemble and Solo & Ensemble events
-
- Regular performances throughout the community and across the state
-
- Multiple students selected for the KMEA All-State Orchestra
-
- Alumni earning music scholarships and pursuing collegiate performance opportunities
-
- Graduates entering music-related fields, including performance, education, music therapy, composition, and recording
The program’s reach extends beyond Kentucky. Through a partnership with Music Without Borders, students help provide access to instruments in other countries. In 2024, twelve students traveled to Ecuador as music ambassadors. An international exchange will continue in March 2026, when visiting students from Ecuador will come to Bardstown.
The 20th Anniversary celebration highlighted the program’s long-term impact. More than 30 Strings alumni returned to perform alongside current Bardstown High School orchestra students. Alumni and current students shared the stage, marking both the program’s history and what it continues to offer.
Demolition for the Smotherman Arts Wing began in September 2025, with anticipated completion in March 2027.
As Bardstown City Schools continues to renovate the Fifth Street Campus, the Smotherman Arts Wing reflects a long-standing commitment to arts education. It recognizes the people and programs that shaped that work and supports what comes next for students.
Learn more about the Fifth Street Renovation Project here.
