How Can You Participate in the Annual Art Competition?

Congressional Art Competition Guidelines

Every spring Rep. Eshoo launches a district-wide Congressional Art Competition to discover and celebrate talented high school artists and their work. High school students from throughout the 18th Congressional District are invited to participate and exceptions may be made for schools that have 7th through 12th grades on one campus.

The artist, whose work is chosen by a panel of distinguished local artists, has the distinction of having his or her artwork displayed in the corridors of our nation's Capitol, on view for the many thousands of visitors who walk through the hall daily. The winner also has an opportunity to to attend a special reception and meet with other similarly talented young artists at the unveiling of their works in Washington, D.C.

A TYPED copy of the Student Release Form, signed by both the teacher and the student, must be attached to the artwork to certify the originality of the piece. Artwork must be submitted to Congresswoman Eshoo's Palo Alto office at 698 Emerson Street by 5 p.m. PST on Thursday, April 17th. Artwork will hang in the Capitol for the entire year of the exhibition and cannot be returned to students earlier. Students, therefore, should submit artwork they will not need for other purposes.

Specific Guidelines

Artwork categories are as follows:

• Paintings: oil, acrylics, watercolor, etc.
• Drawings:  pastels, colored pencil, pencil, charcoal, ink, markers (It is recommended that charcoal and pastel drawings be fixed.)
• Collage:  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

Artwork must conform to the following restrictions:

• Artwork must be two-dimensional
• Each piece can be no larger than 28"x28"x4" (28 inches high, 28 inches wide, and 4 inches deep) including the frame
• Artwork cannot weigh more than 15 lbs.
• Each entry must be original in concept, design, and execution and may not violate any U.S. copyright laws. Any entry which has been reproduced from an existing photo (not the student's own), painting, graphic, advertisement, or any other work produced by another person is a violation of the competition rules and will not be accepted. Work entered must be in the original medium (that is, not a scanned reproduction of a painting or drawing).
• Each student is allowed no more than two submissions.

Framing guidelines:

• Framing guidelines apply only to the ONE winning artist/artwork that will be sent to Washington, DC. Each Member of Congress may include additional entry rules for his or her own District; please consult your Representative’s office to see whether a frame is required for entry. Even if your Member of Congress does not require a frame to enter the artwork in the competition, if your artwork is selected for display in Washington, it must have a frame.
• All winning artwork must be framed. Frames should be wood or metal and should be kept as simple and sturdy as possible. Metal frames are recommended. No “snap on” frames with glass are to be used.
• All artwork except works in oil or acrylic on canvas must be protected by Plexiglas or glass. Plexiglas is preferred. If glass is used, special packing and shipping arrangements are encouraged to ensure that the work is not damaged if the glass breaks.
• All works, including frame, should be no larger than 28 inches high, 28 inches wide, and 4 inches deep, to the outside of the frame, and 15 pounds in weight. Please double check the size before sending the entry to Washington, DC. Due to wide participation of Member offices, framed work larger than the specified dimensions will be turned away.
• Matting can enhance or detract from a work of art and should be carefully prepared.
• Use sturdy picture hangers on the back of the frame. For wood frames, two sturdy eye hooks should be attached at the top right and left sides of the back of the work for hanging in order to prevent the work from leaning forward or hanging unevenly. For metal frames, solid hangers should be used. Do not put wire between the hooks for hanging; it will be added when the artwork is hung in the Capitol.
• Do not attach labels, ribbons, etc. to the front of the piece or underneath the glass or Plexiglas.
• If the artwork is abstract in design, please indicate on the back which side is “up” with arrows.

The final decision regarding the suitability of all artwork for the Congressional Art Competition exhibition in the Capitol is made by a panel of qualified persons chaired by the Architect of the Capitol. Artwork must adhere to the policy of the House Office Building Commission. In accordance with this policy, exhibits depicting subjects of contemporary political controversy or a sensationalistic or gruesome nature are not allowed. It is necessary that all artwork be reviewed by the panel chaired by the Architect of the Capitol and any portion not in consonance with the Commission's policy will be omitted from the exhibit. For more information, please click here.

If you have any questions regarding the Art Competition, please contact our Palo Alto District Office.