Art Competition

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Art Competition

2020 Congressional Art Competition

 

In light of recent health concerns, we have adjusted our submission timeline.

 

Submission Deadline: Friday May 29, 2020 at 5 p.m.

 

Each Spring, a nation-wide high school arts competition is sponsored by the Members of the U.S. House of Representatives. The Artistic Discovery Contest is an opportunity to recognize and encourage the artistic talent in the nation, as well as in our Congressional District.

The Congressional Art Competition is open to all high school students (grades 9-12) in Maryland’s 26th Congressional District. The over-all winner of our District's competition will be displayed for one year in the U.S. Capitol. The exhibit in Washington, D.C. will also include artwork from other contest winners nation-wide.

 

TO APPLY

This year, we will be holding an online-only Art Competition. Entries must be submitted digitally no later than 5:00 p.m. on Friday May 29, 2020 to our online form here. Each submission must be made through the Google Form and to be filled out completely including a picture of the student’s artwork (preferably HD). No entry will be considered unless submitted through a completed Google Submission Form. We will only accept one entry per student.

 

COMPETITION RULES AND REGULATIONS

Artwork entered in the contest may be no larger than 26 inches high, 26 inches wide, and 4 inches in depth and not weigh more than 15 pounds (even when framed). If your artwork is selected as the winning piece, it must arrive framed and must still measure no larger than the above maximum dimensions. 

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.)

  • Prints: lithographs, silk screen, block prints

  • Mixed Media: use of more than two mediums such as pencil, ink, watercolor, etc.

  • Collages (must be two dimensional)

  • Computer-generated art

  • Photographs

​Entries must be original in concept, design and execution and may not violate any 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. Work entered must be in the original medium (that is, not a scanned reproduction of a painting or drawing).

 

COMPETITION SUITABILITY GUIDELINES

Artwork must adhere to the policy of the House Office Building 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.

 

ADDITIONAL RULES

  • Student participants must reside or attend a High School in Maryland’s 6th Congressional District. Find your District here: Find Your Representative.

  • We strongly encourage all artwork to be framed to avoid damages.

 

PRIZE

The winning art piece will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol for one year, and when it is safe, the winning artist will travel to Washington, D.C., to be recognized and will be featured on House.gov's Congressional Art Competition page. In addition, The Savannah College of Art and Design will offer a scholarship of $3,000 to each Congressional Art Competition winner who enrolls at the institution. Accepted students may be eligible for additional scholarships based on their academic credentials, documented awards and recognition, extracurricular activities, volunteer or professional experience, and talents.


If you have questions about how this new online submission format works, please reach out to us directly by calling my Gaithersburg office at 301-926-0300 or emailing Trone.Art@mail.house.gov.