Paulsen Announces Annual Congressional Art Competition Now Open to Area High School Students
3rd District residents encouraged to submit entries to Congressman Erik Paulsen’s Office

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 9th, 2010

CONTACT: Luke Friedrich (952) 405–8510 / Andrew Foxwell (202) 225-2871

Eden Prairie, MN  -- Congressman Erik Paulsen is pleased to announce the 2010 Congressional Art Competition, Artistic Discovery, is now underway. High school students who reside in the 3rd Congressional District may submit original artwork to Congressman Paulsen’s office for the opportunity to have their work displayed in the Cannon Tunnel of the United States Capitol for one year, as well as in Paulsen’s Congressional offices in Minnesota and Washington. 

By April 9th, 2010 participants MUST fill out an online form to declare participation in the art contest.  Students can submit notification of their desire to enter the contest at Paulsen’s website HERE or via link on the front of the website at www.paulsen.house.gov.  Students can drop off their submissions at Congressman Paulsen’s office in Eden Prairie or at the Bloomington Art Center by April 22nd, 2010. 

Artwork submitted for the contest will be displayed at the Bloomington Art Center from April 24th to May 3rd.  The winner of the competition in the 3rd Congressional District will be announced at a ceremony at the Bloomington Art Center on May 3rd from 5:00 -  6:30 p.m..  The grand prize winner will receive three roundtrip airline tickets courtesy of Southwest Airlines to travel to the exhibit opening in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, June 17th, 2010.   The winning student will also be eligible to receive a $1,500 per year admission scholarship to Savannah College of Art and Design. The second and third place winners will also be recognized.

All work must be two-dimensional and each framed piece can be no larger than 30” x 30” x 4”.  Acceptable mediums include: paintings (oil, watercolor, acrylic), drawings (pastels, colored pencil, pencil, charcoal, ink, markers), two-dimensional collage, prints (lithographs, silk screens, block prints), computer-generated art, and photography.

Students from the following high schools can submit their work to Paulsen’s district office in Eden Prairie:  Brooklyn Center High School, Champlin Park High School, Coon Rapids High School, Eden Prairie High School, Edina High School, Hopkins High School, John F. Kennedy High School, Maple Grove Senior High School, Minnetonka High School, Mound Westonka High School, Orono High School, Osseo Senior High School, Robbinsdale Armstrong High School, Rogers High School, Bloomington Jefferson High School, Park Center High School and Wayzata High School. Students who live in the 3rd District and attend a private school outside the District or are home-schooled are also encouraged to apply.

For further information, contact Krysta Carlson in Congressman Erik Paulsen’s office at 952-405-8510 or krysta.carlson1@mail.house.gov.