Congressional Art Competition

2026 Congressional Art Competition is Here! 

Every year, Members of Congress sponsor a nationwide 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 9th 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 2026 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 description of the medium and background of the piece along with their entry. All entries must comply with the competition guidelines.  

  • 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: 

  • Friday, April 17th, 2026 by 5:00pm PT: Artwork due to the Office of Congressman Adam Smith. 

  • Last week of April: Art Competition Exhibition & Winner Announcement. Exact dates and other details coming soon! 

  • June 25th, 2026: Congressional Art Competition Reception in DC. 

As a reminder, Artwork by 5:00pm PT on Friday, April 17th, 2026. 

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. 

 

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to Nicole Munoz-Casalduc, who will be coordinating the event for Congressman Smith’s Office. 

Nicole Munoz-Casalduc 

Email: nicole.munoz@mail.house.gov 

Cell: (253) 753-4114 

District Office: (425) 793-5180 

 

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

Suite 360 
Kent, WA 98032