Art Competition

Congressman Graves is inviting students from the 6th Congressional District to participate in the 2020 Congressional Art Competition. Members of the U.S. House of Representatives sponsor a nation-wide high school arts competition, to recognize and encourage the artistic talent in the nation, as well as in our congressional district.

The Congressional Art Competition is open to all high school students in the Sixth Congressional District. This is a great opportunity for students to represent their school in both our local region as well as on the national level. The winning artwork of our district's competition will be displayed for one year in the U.S. Capitol. Runners up will hang in our offices in D.C. and the district.  

The following is a summary of the Congressional Art Competition rules:

Artwork entered in the contest may be up to 26 inches by 26 inches, may be up to 4 inches in depth, and not weigh more than 15 pounds. If your artwork is selected as the winning piece, it must arrive framed and must still measure no larger than the above maximum dimensions.  The entry form can be found here.

Artwork categories are as follows:

•  Paintings: oil, acrylics, watercolor, etc.
•  Drawings: pastels, colored pencil, pencil, charcoal, ink, markers
•  Collage
•  Prints: lithographs, silkscreen, block prints
•  Mixed Media: use of more than two medias such as pencil, ink, watercolor, etc.
•  Computer-Generated Art
•  Photography

All entries must be original in concept, design and execution and may not violate any U.S. copyright laws. Any entry that has been copied from an existing photo or image (including a painting, graphic, or advertisement) that was created by someone other than the student 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).

For more information, click the checklist here, view the guidelines here, or call our Baton Rouge District Office at 225-442-1731.

Once your entry has been submitted, a local artist will select the winning entries. Winners are recognized at a district reception in Baton Rouge and at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C.

The Deadline to have your art submitted to our office for the 2020 Congressional Art Competition is May 15, 2020.  If you would like any further information on the annual Congressional Art Competition please contact our Baton Rouge office or visit the Artistic Discovery website. 

*The final decision regarding the suitability of all artwork for the 2020 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 omitted from the exhibit.