WASHINGTON, DC – NOVEMBER 15: Rep.-elect Laura Friedman (D-CA) poses for a photograph after joining other congressional freshmen of the 119th Congress for a group photograph on the steps of the House of Representatives at the U.S. Capitol Building on November 15, 2024 in Washington, DC. New members of congress are in-town for an orientation program to help them prepare for their upcoming roles. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
2025’s 'Congressional Art Competition' for high school students kicked off Tuesday across the nation.
I am excited to announce that my office is taking submissions for the 2025 Congressional Art Competition! I look forward to seeing the amazing skills of the young artists in our district.
— Rep. Laura Friedman (@RepFriedmanCA) March 11, 2025
Show off your artistic skills and win a chance to go to D.C.! Submit to… pic.twitter.com/aloUI3UnT4
Every spring, Congress collects art from hundreds of thousands of high school students across the nation.
The winning pieces are then displayed in the U.S. Capitol tunnel. The winning artist, alongside a family member, will also be invited to attend a special ceremony in D.C.
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The 2nd-place winner will have their artwork displayed in their congressperson's Washington D.C. office, and the 3rd-place winner in their local district office.
One student's artwork is selected from each congressional district.
“This contest recognizes the vast artistic talents of our young students, as well as the diversity of art forms that exist. It also highlights the unique contributions of each Congressional District through the brilliant and varied work by young people across the country. I can’t wait to see what our talented young artists come up with,” said Rep. Laura Friedman (CA-30).
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Submitted pieces must be two-dimensional and no larger than 26 inches high, 26 inches wide, and 4 inches deep, including when framed.
Accepted mediums include:
- Paintings - including oil, acrylics, and watercolor
- Drawings - including pastels, colored pencil, pencil, charcoal, 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
Students can submit their piece to their representative's office online. Submissions are limited to one per person.
Since the competition began in 1982, more than 650,000 high school students have participated.
To learn more about the competition, click here.
