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 Artistic Discovery Contest is open to all high school students in the 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 will also include artwork from other contest winners nation-wide.
The United States is celebrating its 250th birthday this year, and we are encouraging a patriotic theme for our artwork entries. Thank you in advance for your participation.
Art works entered in the contest may be up to 26” x 26” x 4”, including the frame. The art work may be:
- Paintings – including oil, acrylics, and watercolor
- Drawings – including pastels, colored pencil, pencil, charcoal, ink, and markers
- Collage
- Prints – including lithographs, silkscreen, and block prints
- Mixed Media
- Computer Generated Art
- Photography
All entries must be an original in concept, design and execution.
The Congressional Art Competition began in 1982 to provide an opportunity for members of Congress to encourage and recognize the artistic talents of their young constituents. Since then, over 650,000 high school students have been involved with the nationwide competition.
Important information regarding the 2026 Congressional Art Competition:
- Art is due the week of March 23rd.
- The deadline for all artwork is March 27th at 5PM.
- Art will be displayed at April 7- April 17, 2025 at Downtown Gallery in Cartersville.
- Please see the 2026 Rules and Regulations for guidance.
- Please see the 2026 Student Release Form.
- General Information can be found at https://www.congressionalinstitute.org/congressional-art-competition/
We do ask that you confirm you reside in our district to participate. You can confirm your address here. If you have any additional questions or need further information, please don’t hesitate to reach out and email our office at Phyllis.Nall@mail.house.gov.