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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
Students submit entries to their representative’s office, and panels of district artists select the winning entries. Winners are recognized both in their district and at an annual awards ceremony in Washington, DC. The winning works are displayed for one year at the U.S. Capitol.
The presentation and exhibition are in June in Washington DC. Each Congressman sets additional rules, of which only two have publicly detailed a closing date.
How to Enter the 2025 Art Competition
- Contact your representative to confirm your district’s participation and obtain specific guidance.
- Review the 2025 Rules for Students and Teachers.
- Complete the 2025 Student Release Form.
- Submit the Student Release Form and any other required materials to your representative by the deadline specified on their website.
Key points for qualifying include (please review the Congressional website rules as well as additional rules your Congressperson may have detailed)
- The competition is open to high school students.
- Students should enter the competition in the district they reside, not where they attend school.
- Members may choose whether to include 7th and 8th grade students in the art competition if schools located in their districts house 7th through 12th grades on one campus.
- Artwork must be the creation a single student. Students may not collaborate on an entry
- Artwork must be two-dimensional. (See details in link for the parameters of frame)
- Accepted mediums for the two-dimensional artwork are as follows:
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- Paintings: oil, acrylics, watercolor, etc.
- Drawings: colored pencil, pencil, ink, marker, pastels, charcoal (Charcoal and pastel must be fixed.)
- Collages: must be two dimensional
- Prints: lithographs, silkscreen, block prints
- MixedMedia: use of more than two mediums such as pencil, ink, watercolor, etc.
- Computer-generated art (!!!!)
- Photographs
The list of winners from California for the 2024 competition include these students entering thru San Fernando Valley members of Congress. Please note, the competition allows students to enter from a school not in the Congressional district if the student lives in the Congressional district.
These five Congressional District boundaries include the San Fernando Valley.
District 26 – Julia Brownley since 2013
- Calabasas
- Outside of the SFV: Agoura, Cities of Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks, and Westlake Village
2025 Congressional Art Competition - Congresswoman Julia Brownley.
DEADLINE TO SUBMIT: Thursday, April 17, 2025.
District 27 - George T. Whitesides since 2025
- Los Angeles communities of north side of Granada Hills and Porter Ranch and northwestern areas of the San Fernando Valley...north of 118 freeway
- Outside of the SFV: Lancaster, Palmdale, and Santa Clarita
Art Competition | Representative George Whitesides "If you would like more information on the annual Congressional District Art Competition, including this year's deadlines, please submit the following form."
District 29 - Luz Rivas since 2025
- City of San Fernando, and Los Angeles communities of Arleta, parts of North Hollywood, Pacoima, Panorama City, parts of Sun Valley, Sylmar, and Van Nuys
Art Competition | Representative Luz Rivas "If you would like more information on the annual Congressional District Art Competition, including this year's deadlines, please submit the following form."
District 30 - Laura Friedman since 2025
- City of Burbank, and L.A. community of Tujunga
- Outside of the SFV: City of Pasadena, and Los Angeles communities of west side of Echo Park, Edendale, Hancock Park, Hollywood, Park La Brea, and West Hollywood
Art Competition | Representative Laura Friedman The deadline for submission is April 4 at 11:59 PM PST. The contest is limited to one entry per student.
District 32 - Bradley Sherman since 1997
- Los Angeles communities of Canoga Park, Chatsworth, Encino, south side of Granada Hills, North Hills, Northridge, Reseda, Sherman Oaks, Studio City, Tarzana, West Hills, Winnetka, & Woodland Hills
- Outside of the SFV: City of Malibu and Los Angeles communities of Pacific Palisades, Beverly Glen, Bel Air, Brentwood
Art Competition | Congressman Brad Sherman "If you would like more information on the annual Congressional District Art Competition, including this year's deadlines, please submit the following form."
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