Art Competition
Each spring, the Congressional Institute sponsors a nationwide high school visual art competition to recognize and encourage artistic talent in the nation and in each congressional district. Since the Artistic Discovery competition began in 1982, more than 650,000 high school students have participated.
The contest is open to all high school students in California's 14th Congressional District; a panel of local artists will select the winners. The overall 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 nationwide.
This year’s Congressional Art Competition theme is UTOPIA—your vision of the ideal United States. What does a perfect America look like to YOU? A place of equality? Innovation? Community? Let your creativity shine!
The deadline to submit artwork for the 2025 competition is April 14, 2025, at 5 PM PT.
Artwork entered in the contest may be up to 26" x 26" x 4" (including the frame), two-dimensional, and no heavier than 15 pounds. The artwork 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 original in concept, design, and execution, and must not violate U.S. copyright law. Work entered must be in the original medium - not a scanned reproduction of a painting or drawing.
If you would like more information on the annual Congressional Art Competition, email CA14ArtComp@mail.house.gov or contact my District Office at (510) 370-3322.
Click here to read the rules and regulations. Click here for an official entry form. Complete my office's entry form below (both the official form and this form must be completed.) Artists must submit their art in person, with the form completed by the artist and their teacher.
Our 2022 winners were:
1st Place
Melody Serena Zhang, ‘With Heavy Heart'
2nd Place
Ashley Li, ‘A Flare of Amity'
3rd Place
Anita Xie, 'No Way Out'
