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, now in its 30th year, is an opportunity to recognize and encourage the artistic talent in the nation and in the 17th Congressional District of Illinois.
The Artistic Discovery Contest is open to all high school students in the 17th 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 remaining four artists are invited to have their pieces featured in our district offices.
Artwork entered in the contest may be up to 28 inches by 28 inches (including the frame) and may be up to 4 inches in depth. 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, and cannot violate any U.S. copyright laws.
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.
If you would like more information on the annual Congressional Art Competition please contact our office in Washington, DC at (202) 225-5905. Click here to access the 2012 Congressional Art Competition Student Information and Release Form.
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