About

Students submit a single two-dimensional original artwork — no larger than 26 inches by 26 inches, no heavier than 15 pounds — through their local congressional district office, which administers its own competition with its own deadline, judges, and sometimes its own theme. Accepted mediums include oil, acrylic, watercolor, colored pencil, charcoal, ink, pastel, photography, and printmaking. AI-generated art is explicitly prohibited. The winning piece from each district is displayed in the Cannon Tunnel of the US Capitol for approximately 11 months, viewed by Members of Congress and visitors from around the world; the student also receives round-trip travel to Washington, D.C. for an annual winners' celebration. Since 1982, more than 650,000 students have participated nationally.

The competition's value is civic and reputational rather than financial — there are no cash prizes at the national level. As with the Congressional App Challenge, competitiveness varies significantly by district: some offices receive dozens of submissions, others hundreds. A student's first step is confirming their representative is participating and understanding the specific submission requirements, deadlines, and any theme their district has set, all of which differ by office. The credential itself — Congressional District winner, artwork displayed in the US Capitol — reads clearly and distinctively on a college application regardless of geography.

The Congressional Art Competition is the right competition for a serious visual artist who wants a concrete civic credential, a real-world exhibition opportunity, and the experience of having their work displayed in one of the most visited public buildings in the United States.