Congressional Art Competition

In the spring of every year, the United States House of Representatives hosts a Congressional Art Competition for amateur high-school artists. The competition promotes attention to the arts by recognizing talented young artists from across the nation. The Congressional Art Competition features artists from high schools in every state of the nation.

"Urban Silence" a photograph of Main Street in Mount Airy.

Each high school in North Carolina’s Fifth Congressional district is able to submit one entry for our district-wide contest. The 2010 winner was Beth Isaacs a rising senior at East Surry High School. Beth’s artwork submission (seen right) was a photograph entitled "Urban Silence." The winning artwork is displayed in the United States Capitol.

Second place was awarded to Hanna Scott a senior at Forsyth Country Day. Hanna's mixed media drawing entitled "The World In A Bubble" hangs in Congresswoman Foxx's Washington office.

Third place was awarded to Schae Alexa Sale a student at Miller’s Creek Christian School. Schae's artwork entitled “Sacrifice” hangs in the Congresswoman's Clemmons district office.

Each year Members of Congress from around the country hold contests within their districts to choose winning pieces of art by high school students. Since this competition was created in 1982, hundreds of thousands of high school students have participated at the local level. The winning student from the Fifth District is invited to Washington, DC for the ribbon-cutting ceremony, and will have his or her artwork displayed in the Cannon Tunnel of the U.S. Capitol for a year long exhibition.

Each school is encouraged to submit an entry from one of its finest young artists for that year’s Congressional Art Competition. Schools are welcome to hold a school-wide competition to select the school’s submission, though the selection process is at the school’s discretion. Winners, including two runners up, will be chosen by a panel of judges on behalf of Congresswoman Foxx.

We are excited about this year’s Congressional Art Competition and the outstanding works of art submitted from all the across the Fifth Congressional District. Congratulations to our winner's. If you have any questions about the competition for 2011 please call the Washington, DC office at (202) 225-2071. To learn more about the 29th Annual Congressional Art Competition click here.