Art Competition

Call for Artists! 2021 Congressional Art Competition

Each spring, the Congressional Institute sponsors 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.

Students submit their artwork, either through their high school art teachers or individually, which will then be judged by an independent panel of artists who will select the winners in each category. This is “blind judging” meaning judges have no knowledge of the artists’ identity prior to making their decisions. Please make sure that your submission does not contain any personal information.

Winners are recognized in both their Congressional district and in Washington, D.C. with a ceremony hosted by the Congressional Institute in June. The winning works are displayed for one year along the hallway between the Cannon House Office Building and the United States Capitol Building for thousands of people to view. Click on the following link to view Colorado’s past winners: https://www.congressionalinstitute.org/2019-winners/

The Best of Show winner will receive two round-trip tickets from Southwest Airlines to attend the ceremony. While in Washington, the winner and their guest(s) may also receive a special “Member Pass” tour of the White House as well as a staff-led tour of the U.S. Capitol Building. Other popular Washington, D.C. venue tours may also be available. Our Tour Coordinator will work with the winner and their guests on those arrangements.

Winners in all categories will be presented with a ribbon and a Congressional Certificate of Recognition along with other great prizes

This year’s theme: To Be Determined

(Optional)

It is not mandatory that artwork content reflect this theme in order to enter the contest, but rather provided to those who wish to create a new piece using the theme.

This annual competition is open to all high school students who reside in Colorado’s 5th Congressional District.

HOW TO ENTER: (Students can register individually or through their art teachers/instructors)

Schools/Teachers/Students - Please PRE-REGISTER, by emailing our Art Competition Coordinator, Elizabeth Tapia at Elizabeth.Tapia@mail.house.gov the following information:

Name of Artist:

Age:

School:

Teacher:

Category:

Medium:

Size:

Phone:

Artist email:

**watch your inbox for important contest updates

General timeline: (Exact dates will be posted soon)

ARTWORK INTAKE: February

**Please make sure the piece is ready to hang, that you have the identification info listed on the back of the artwork and that the Student Release Form is handed to the art competition staff.

EXIBITION AND AWARD CEREMONY: March / April

RULES:

This is a free competition open to high school-aged students (grades 9-12) and homeschooled students with high school equivalent who reside within the 5th Congressional District of Colorado. Click here to confirm your representative and district: https://www.house.gov/

Each artist/teacher may submit as many entries as they would like but please check with our art competition coordinator on space availability if over 3 per individual or over 30 per teacher/school.

Artwork must be two-dimensional, not larger than 26 inches by 26 inches when framed, no more than 4 inches deep, no more than 15 lbs. in weight and must have a horizontal wire in place so that it may hang from a center point from behind the artwork.

However, artwork need not be framed just for the gallery exhibition – but it must be placed on sturdy backing be hangable by the gallery staff.

Categories:

Paintings

Watercolors, oils & acrylics

Drawings

Pencil, colored pencil, markers, ink, pastels and charcoal

Mixed Media

The use of two or more mediums

Computer Generated

Art

Original concept computer-generated images

Photography

Prints

Best in keeping

with the theme (TBA)

Can include some computer editing as long as the integrity of the piece remains intact

Lithographs, silkscreens and block prints

Each entry must be an original concept: The entry may not be a reproduction of an image from a third party’s work in the same or any other medium; the work may not infringe upon the rights of any third party; the work may not violate the U.S. Copyright Laws.

If the artwork is abstract in design, please indicate on the back which side is up with arrows.

All entries must have the following information written clearly on the back of the piece:

Name:
Title:
Category (Painting, Drawing, Mixed Media, Computer Generated Art, Photography)
Teacher’s name:
School:

*We reserve the right to refuse any entries that are deemed inappropriate.

A Student Release form must be submitted with your artwork: STUDENT RELEASE FORM

Official Rules: OFFICIAL RULES FORM

Questions? Contact Elizabeth Tapia at 719-355-7565 or email her at Elizabeth.tapia@mail.house.gov

Steps:

Pre-Register your interest by emailing the Art Competition Coordinator at Elizabeth.tapia@mail.house.gov with the following information:

Artist name: