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 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 theme for 2024 is Texas Thirteen Landscapes & Landmarks.
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
- Photography
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 website.
Artwork must display the theme of Texas Thirteen Landscapes & Landmarks.
How to Enter
Artwork will be accepted from Monday, March 4, 2024 to Friday, April 5, 2024. To enter the art competition, please submit your typed ENTRY FORM with your original piece of artwork to the Amarillo, Denton, or Wichita Falls office.
Artwork can be mailed or dropped off to the Amarillo or Wichita Falls office Monday through Friday during the hours of 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM and to the Denton office by appointment only. All entry forms must be typed, and received by Friday, April 5, 2024. No late entries will be accepted.
The 2024 Rules and Regulations for Students and Teachers can be found here.
If you have any questions, please contact the Art Competition Coordinator, Jennifer Hodges at Jennifer.Hodges@mail.house.gov.
