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Congressional Art Competition

Each spring, the Congressional Institute sponsors the Congressional Art Competition, a nationwide high school visual art competition to recognize and encourage artistic talent in the nation and in each congressional district. Since the Artistic Discovery competition began in 1982, more than 650,000 high school students have participated.  I have the privilege to select one young artist from Oregon’s Third Congressional District for this distinct honor. 

The winning artwork will hang in the Cannon Tunnel of the U.S. Capitol for one year. The tunnel is the most highly traveled access point between the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Capitol. Every day, Members of Congress, distinguished visitors, and tens of thousands of tourists – from the United States and abroad – walk through the tunnel and admire the artwork.

To view the work of past winners and learn more about the competition, please visit the Congressional Art Competition webpage linked here.

If you have any questions about the Art Competition, please contact Emma Cox at Emma.Cox@mail.house.gov .
 

Submitting Artwork

The 2024 Art Competition is open! The deadline to submit is April 30th, 2024. 

To submit, email a photo of the artwork and the completed required submissions forms to Emma Cox at Emma.Cox@mail.house.gov .

Thorough rules and regulations for students and teachers can be found linked here. Some highlights and submission guidelines are copied below. 
 

Artwork Guidance 

  • Artwork must be two-dimensional.
  • Each framed artwork can be no larger than 26 inches high, 26 inches wide, and 4 inches deep.
  • If your artwork is selected as the winning piece, it must arrive in Washington, DC, framed. Even when framed, it must still measure no larger than the above maximum dimensions. No framed piece should weigh more than 15 pounds.
  • Accepted mediums for the two-dimensional artwork are as follows:
    • Paintings: oil, acrylics, watercolor, etc.
    • Drawings: colored pencil, pencil, ink, marker, pastels, charcoal (It is recommended that charcoal and pastel drawings be fixed.)
    • Collages: must be two dimensional
    • Prints: lithographs, silkscreen, block prints
    • Mixed Media: use of more than two mediums such as pencil, ink, watercolor, etc.
    • Computer-generated art
    • Photographs
  • Each entry must be original in concept, design, and execution and may not violate U.S. copyright laws. Any entry that has been copied from an existing photo or image (including a painting, graphic, or advertisement) that was created by someone other than the student is a violation of the competition rules and will not be accepted. For more information on copyright laws, we recommend you visit the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards website
  • Work entered must be in the original medium (that is, not a scanned reproduction of a painting or drawing).
  • Artwork will hang in the Cannon Tunnel for the duration of the exhibition. Students should only submit artwork they will not need for other purposes.

Suitability Guidelines

Artwork must adhere to the policy of the House Office Building Commission (the Commission). In accordance with this policy, exhibits depicting subjects of contemporary political controversy or a sensationalistic or gruesome nature are not allowed. Each Member of Congress will be required to submit a Letter of Support confirming that the Member has determined that the winning artwork adheres to the Commission’s policy. However, if another Member of Congress requests review of any artwork for compliance with the Commission’s policy, the final decision regarding the artwork’s suitability for display will be made by the Commission. 

Submission Form

Each entrant must submit a Student Information and Release Form. The Student Information and Release Form can be found linked here

The information requested on the first page of the form should be provided as thoroughly as possible. Students should include their mailing addresses if they differ from their home addresses. Students should also include contact information that will be valid for several years. 

The form requires a description of the artwork, which should be detailed, clearly identifying the major elements of the work. For example, “self-portrait” or “a picture of two people” would be unacceptable, since many artworks would fit those descriptions. The following is an example of a useful description: “A painting of two people; the person on the left wears a green sweater and khaki pants; the person on the right wears a black shirt and a striped skirt. A dog sits at their feet.” 

The second page of the Student Information and Release Form contains a legal release and a certification that the artwork is original in design and execution. The student, an art teacher, and a parent or guardian must sign where appropriate. Entries without signed originality certifications and artwork releases may not be accepted.

A TYPED copy of the Student Information and Release Form, signed by the teacher, a parent or
guardian, and the student, must be securely attached to the back of the artwork to certify the
originality of the piece. Please retain a copy for your records.