Congressional Art Competition

2025 Congressional Art Competition is Here!

DEADLINE EXTENDED!

Please Submit your Artwork by 5:00pm PT on Wednesday, April 23, 2025.

Every year, Members of Congress sponsor a nation-wide arts competition for high school students. The Congressional Art Competition is an opportunity to recognize and encourage the artistic talent in the nation, as well as in our congressional district. Over the past 44 years, over 10,000 pieces of art have been exhibited in the U.S. Capitol.

The Congressional Art Competition is open to all high school students in the 9^th District. Winning entries from each congressional district are hung in the Cannon Tunnel of the U.S. Capitol for one year, and the winning student artists (plus a guest) will be flown to Washington, D.C. to be recognized at an award ceremony. Second and third place winners will have their pieces displayed in my D.C. and District Offices. 

Please submit your piece following the Congressional Art Competition 2025 Requirements:

• Artwork must be two-dimensional.
• Artwork must be one of the following acceptable mediums: 
  • 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
• Artwork framed with: 
  • Two sturdy eye hooks at the top right and left sides of the back of the frame.
  • An arrow on the back indicating which direction is up.
• Each framed artwork can be no larger than 26 inches high, 26 inches wide, and 4 inches deep and must weigh less than 15 pounds (including the frame).
  • Even when framed, it must still measure no larger than the above maximum dimensions. 

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.

Students interested in applying should first ensure they are located within Washington’s 9th Congressional District. Please check your home address here.

Students who would like to participate must submit:

• a completed Student Release Form  
  • Document

    2025_student_release_form.pdf  (76.39 KB)
• a description of the medium and background of the piece along with their entry. All entries must comply with the competition guidelines. 
  • Document

    2025_rules_and_regulations_for_students_and_teachers.pdf  (782.21 KB)

• Please note that the Student Release Form requires a signature from each student’s art teacher. The Congressional Institute is allowing an email from art teachers stating the student’s piece is original in concept in lieu of their signature.

   

Art Competition Timeline:

• Wednesday, April 23, 2025: Artwork due to the Office of Congressman Adam Smith.
• Saturday, April 26, 2024 (tentative): Art Competition Exhibition & winner announcement. Details to come!
• June 11, 2025: Congressional Art Competition Reception in DC.

As a reminder, Artwork by 5:00pm PT on Wednesday, April 23th, 2025.

Artwork can be delivered to our office Monday through Friday between 8:00am - 5:00pm. Feel free to give our office a call and let us know you are stopping by.

District Office of Congressman Adam Smith
Attn: Student Art Competition
6811 S, 204th Street

Suite 360
Kent, WA 98032
 

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