The Congressional Art Competition began in 1982, and, since then, over 650,000 high school students have participated in this nationwide event enabling high school students to showcase their artistic ability.
The winning artwork from each Congressional District will be prominently displayed in the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. I encourage all high school students to submit their artwork, and I look forward to meeting North Carolina's 10th Congressional District winner in May, and all of this year’s winners in June.
The “Grand Prize” winner will also receive two round-trip tickets to Washington, D.C., to attend a ribbon-cutting ceremony and will be eligible for a scholarship to the Savannah College of Art and Design.
ART SUBMISSION DEADLINE
Friday, April 15, 2016
GENERAL GUIDELINES
- The competition is open to high school students who reside in the 10th Congressional District only. Visit House.gov, to ensure you live in the 10th District.
- A picture of the artwork must be emailed to Joe Bost in the Gastonia Office by Wednesday, April 15, 2016 to be considered.
- In order to allow artwork to hang in the Cannon Tunnel of the U.S. Capitol, the following restrictions are enforced:
- Artwork must be two-dimensional.
- Each piece can be no larger than 28”x 28”x 4” (28 inches high, 28 inches wide, and 4 inches deep) including the outside dimensions of 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.
- Artwork will hang in the Capitol for the entire year of the exhibition and cannot be returned to students earlier. Students should not submit artwork they will need for other purposes.
- Artwork categories are as follows:
- Paintings: oil, acrylics, watercolor, etc.
- Drawings: pastels, colored pencil, pencil, charcoal, ink, markers
- Collage: must be two dimensional
- Prints: lithographs, silkscreen, block prints
- Mixed Media: use of more than two mediums such as pencil, ink, etc.
- Computer generated art
- Photography
- 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.
The final decision regarding the suitability of all artwork for the 2016 Congressional Art Competition exhibition in the Capitol will be 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 excluded from the exhibit.
FRAMING GUIDELINES
- Winning artwork. Frames should be kept as simple and sturdy as possible. Metal frames are recommended. No “snap on” frames with glass are to be used.
- Winning artwork must be protected by Plexiglas or glass. Plexiglas is preferred.
- Winning work, including frame¸ should be no larger than 28 inches high, 28 inches wide, and 4 inches deep, and 15 lbs in weight. This includes the outside dimensions of the frame.
- 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. Two sturdy eye hooks should be attached at the right and the left sides of the back of the work for hanging in order to prevent the work from leaning forward or hanging unevenly. Do not put wire between the hooks for hanging, this will be added when the artwork is hung in the Capitol.
- Do not attach labels, ribbon, 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 side which side is “up” with arrows.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Joe Bost at joe.bost@mail.house.gov or (704)-833-0096.
All entries must be received by Joe Bost by Friday, April 15, 2016. For more information, visit the official Art Competition website.
