Submit Artwork
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 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.
The Artistic Discovery Contest is open to all high school students who permanently reside in Texas's 2nd Congressional District (click here to find out if you live in the District). The winning entry from our District will be on display for one year at the U.S. Capitol. The exhibit in Washington will also include artwork from other contest winners nation-wide.
All artwork along with a student release form must be submitted to our office no later than April 24, 2024 for judging. Selection will be May 7, 2024.
Requirements
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. Students do not have to create a piece of artwork specifically for this competition; rather students can use an already existing piece of artwork from their portfolio as long as it meets the competition guidelines and is an original piece by the student. 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 website.
If you would like more information on the annual Congressional District Art Competition - including this year's deadlines - please submit the following form.
Art Competition
Note: Fields marked with an * are required.