Congressional Art Competition

The Congressional Art Competition, created in 1982, is an officially sanctioned bipartisan event designed to encourage the artistic talents of high school students from across the country as they compete for an opportunity to have their artwork displayed in the heart of the U.S. Capitol. The competition is sponsored annually by the Congressional Institute and facilitated by each Member of the U.S. House of Representatives. The winning artwork will be displayed for one year in the U.S. Capitol alongside other pieces of winning artwork from all participating districts across the country. Each piece is also featured on the Congressional Art Competition website. If you have any questions, please contact Laura Miner at Laura.Miner@mail.house.gov or by calling (352) 505-0838. 

2026 THEME: "Celebrating 250 Years of America" 

2026 Rules and Regulations for Students and Teachers: Click Here

2026 Student Information & Release Form: Click Here

ART IS DUE BY FRIDAY, APRIL 10th, 2026. This must be dropped off to our Ocala or Gainesville District Office by 5PM. No late submissions will be accepted. Our staff will NOT be traveling to schools to pick up art. 

The Congressional Art Competition showcase will be hosted at the Mentholee Norfleet Municipal Building on Saturday, April 25th, 2026. This is located at 25420 W. Newberry Road, Newberry FL 32669.  This will be hosted from 10AM-12PM, with awards being announced at 11AM. Our office will be providing refreshments! Family and friends are welcome to attend this showcasing and we can't wait to see you there!

Learn more about the award categories below:

Congressional Art Competition Awards

1. Fan Favorite: Social Media Voting
2. Office Favorite: Team Kat Favorite
3. OVERALL WINNER: Trip to D.C.; artwork displayed in the U.S. Capitol

Best of Category

9. Painting
10. Drawing
11. Collage (must be 2-dimensional)
12. Prints
13. Mixed Media
14. Computer-generated art
15. Photographs 

A Guide to Copyright and Plagiarism (PDF)