The 2025 Competition is Here!
Each spring, a nation-wide 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 the artistic talent in the nation, as well as in our California 15th Congressional District.
The 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 second and third place winners may be featured in our District Office.
Art Competition Rules
Please view the full set of rules and criteria on the Congressional Art Institute’s website.
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 to participate, it must arrive framed, ready to hang (see rules for hanging specifications) and still measure no larger than the above maximum dimensions.
- 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
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). In accordance with House Office Building Policy, artwork depicting subjects of contemporary political controversy or a sensationalistic or gruesome nature are not allowed.
Please carefully review the full 2025 Rules for Students and Teachers.
Eligibility
The competition is open to high school students who reside within California’s Congressional District 15. Please visit the Find My Representative web page to confirm you reside in District 15.
How to Apply
Applicants must submit the 2025 Student Release form and a digital copy of the artwork (photo, PDF etc.) The deadline to apply is April 6, 2025.
Those who are selected to participate will be notified directly and must drop off their framed and ready to hang artwork to the District Office by April 11. The artwork will then be hung at a locale exhibit space where it will be reviewed by a panel of judges. Participants will be invited to a reception tentatively scheduled for late-April or early May.
Submit applications by April 6 via email, with the subject line: “2025 Art Competition Application” to CA15.ArtComp@mail.house.gov.
Please make sure to retain the original form with signatures, as those who are invited to participate must submit the hard-copy form with their artwork.