Art Competition
Each spring, a nationwide high school arts competition is sponsored by the Members of the U.S. House of Representatives. The Congressional Art Competition is an opportunity to recognize and encourage artistic talent in the nation, as well as in our Congressional District.
The Congressional Art Competition is open to all high school students in our District. The winning artwork of our district's competition will be displayed for one year in the U.S. Capitol. The exhibit in Washington will include the winning artwork from all participating districts from around the country. The winning artwork is also featured on House.gov's Congressional Art Competition page.
The following is a summary of the Congressional Art Competition rules:
This year’s theme, America’s 250th, invites artists to reflect on the people, moments, and ideals that have shaped our Long Island communities and the nation over the past two and a half centuries. Students are encouraged to explore America’s history, heritage, and shared values—from defining historical milestones to everyday experiences that illustrate freedom, resilience, and opportunity. While submissions are not limited to any single era or subject, artwork should celebrate the spirit of our nation and the enduring principles that continue to guide the American story.
Artwork entered in the contest must be two dimensional, may be up to 26 inches by 26 inches, may be up to 4 inches thick framed, and not weigh more than 15 pounds framed. If your artwork is selected as the winning piece, it must arrive framed and must still measure no larger than the above maximum dimensions.
- Paintings - including oil, acrylics, and watercolor
- Drawings - including pastels, pencils, charcoal, colored pencils, ink, and markers (It is recommended that charcoal and pastel drawings be fixed.)
- Collages - must be two dimensional
- Prints - including lithographs, silkscreen, and block prints
- Mixed Media - use of more than two mediums 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).
To read the full rules, click HERE.
To fill out the student release form, click HERE.
All artwork must be received by Friday, April 10, 2026 at 5:00pm at our District Office, located at: 515 Route 111 (Hauppauge Road), Suite 3B, Hauppauge, New York 11788.
The winning artwork will be displayed in the halls of the U.S Capitol and the winning student will receive a voucher for two (2) round-trip airfare tickets to attend the exhibit's ribbon-cutting ceremony in Washington, D.C.!
Good luck to all!