E-News Signup

  • E-News Signup

    * indicates required field.

    I would like to subscribe to the eNewsletter.

    Click here if you would like to unsubscribe from the eNewsletter.

  • Contact Olson

Search Bill

  • Search Bill

    Search by Word/Phrase:
    Search by Bill Number:

Congressional Art Competition

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. The Artistic Discovery Contest is an opportunity to recognize and encourage the artistic talent in the nation, as well as in each Congressional District. The over-all winner of each district will be displayed for one year in the U.S. Capitol. 

The 2014 Congressional Art Compeition has been completed. Please check back for information on how to participate in the 2015 competition in the fall.

The first place winner will have his/her artwork displayed in the U.S. Capitol for an entire year. Our district first place winner is provided with complimentary airfare to fly to Washington, D.C. to see his/her art displayed in the Capitol Building during an unveiling ceremony. My office is more than happy to assist in arranging a variety of tours for the winner and his/her parents, including a meeting with me in my Washington DC office. Winners will be notified on Wednesday, May 7, 2014.

First Place Winner:  will have his/her artwork displayed in the U.S. Capitol for an entire year.

Second Place Winner: will have his/her artwork displayed in Congressman Olson's DC office for an entire year.

Third Place Winner: will have his/her artwork displayed in Congressman Olson's Sugar Land office for an entire year.

Fourth Place Winner: will have his/her artwork displayed in Congressman Olson's Pearland office for an entire year.

Artwork must be two-dimensional. Artwork must arrive to Congressman Olson's Sugar Land or Pearland office unframed. However, if your artwork is selected as the winning piece, it must arrive framed to the U.S. Capitol measuring no larger than 28" x 28" x 4" (28 inches high, 28 inches wide and 4 inches deep). Framed artwork cannot weigh more than 15 pounds.

Artwork accepted mediums are as follows:
 
* Paintings: oil, acrylics, watercolor, etc.
* Drawings: colored pencil, pencil, ink, marker, pastels, charcoal (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 will hang in the Capitol for the entire year of the exhibition and cannot be returned to the students earlier. Students should, therefore, submit artwork they will not need for other purposes.

Please be sure to use the following links for a list of rules regarding the contest. Artwork that does not comply with the rules, is submitted after the deadline and is not submitted with the proper forms will not be accepted. The student release form and guidelines for students and teachers are attached and also available at http://www.house.gov/content/educate/art_competition/. If you have any questions, please contact Olson's Sugar Land office at (281)-494-2690.

2013 Art Competition Winner: Michelle Huang

The 2013 Congressional High School Art Competition winner was Michelle Huang.  She was a  tenth grader at Dulles High School in Sugar Land, Texas. Her piece, entitled “Call of the Plains,” is an oil painting on canvas, picturing three cowboys riding horses on the plains.

Michelle Huang’s Call of the Plains art piece

Previous Winners:

2012: The 2012 Congressional High School Art Competition winner was Chelsea MacLean.  She was a 12th grader at Pasadena Memorial High School in Pasadena, Texas.  The title of her entry was “Riding Free.”

2011: The 2011 Congressional High School Art Competition winner was Brittany Seay. She was a senior at Pasadena Memorial High School. The title of her entry was entitled “The Beginning.”