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Congressional Art Competition

Each spring, a nation-wide high school arts competition is sponsored by the Members of the U.S. House of Representatives. The Artistic Discovery Contest is an opportunity to recognize and encourage the artistic talent in the nation, as well as in our congressional district.

The Artistic Discovery Contest is open to all high school students in the 3rd Congressional District of Virginia. The over-all winner of our district's competition will be displayed for one year in the U.S. Capitol. The exhibit in Washington will also include artwork from other contest winners nation-wide. The deadline for 2023 submissions is April 21st. 

All works, including frame, should be no larger than 26 inches long, 26 inches wide, and 4 inches deep. The art work may be

  • Paintings - including oil, acrylics, and watercolor
  • Drawings - including pastels, colored pencil, pencil, charcoal, ink, and markers
  • Collage
  • Prints - including lithographs, silkscreen, and block prints
  • Mixed Media
  • Computer Generated Art
  • Photography

All entries must be an original in concept, design and execution. Entries can be submitted electronically via email to Va03.congressionalartcontest@mail.house.gov but submissions aren't complete until the physical artwork is received.

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.