Art Competition
WHAT IS THE CONGRESSIONAL ART COMPETITION?
Each spring, the U.S. House of Representatives and the Congressional Institute sponsor a nationwide high school visual art competition to recognize and encourage artistic talent in the nation and in each congressional district. More than 650,000 high school students have participated since the Artistic Discovery competition began in 1982.
Students submit entries to their representative’s office and each district selects a winning entry. Winners are recognized both in their district and at an annual awards ceremony in Washington, DC. The winning work from each congressional district is displayed for one year at the U.S. Capitol.
Congressman McGarvey is accepting submissions for the 2026 Congressional Art Competition. The deadline to submit your artwork is March 29th, 2026 by 11:59 PM ET.
COMPETITION RULES
The competition is open to high school students residing in Kentucky’s Third Congressional District. Students should submit to the congressional district where they reside, not where they attend school. Artwork must be the creation of a single student. Students may not collaborate on an entry.
Artwork must be two-dimensional. Artwork can be no larger than 26 inches high, 26 inches wide, and 4 inches deep, with framing dimensions included. No framed piece should weigh more than 15 pounds. Artwork does not need to be framed at the time of submission, but students should account for framing dimensions when submitting their piece.
Accepted mediums for the two-dimensional artwork are as follows:
- Paintings: oil, acrylics, watercolor, etc.
- Drawings: colored pencil, pencil, ink, marker, pastels, charcoal (It is recommended that charcoal and pastel drawings be fixed.)
- Collages: must be two dimensional
- Prints: lithographs, silkscreen, block prints
- Mixed Media: use of more than two mediums such as pencil, ink, watercolor, etc.
- Computer-generated art
- Photographs
Each entry must be original in concept, design, and execution and may not violate 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. For more information on copyright laws, we recommend you visit the Scholastic Website.
Work entered must be in the original medium (that is, not a scanned reproduction of a painting or drawing). Artwork will hang in the Cannon Tunnel for the duration of the exhibition. Students should only submit artwork that they will not need for other purposes. AI generated artwork is strictly prohibited.
SUITABILITY GUIDELINES
Artwork must adhere to the policy of the House Office Building Commission (the Commission). In accordance with this policy, exhibits depicting subjects of contemporary political controversy, or a sensationalistic or gruesome nature are not allowed. Each Member of Congress will be required to submit a Letter of Support confirming that the Member has determined that the winning artwork adheres to the Commission’s policy. However, if another Member of Congress requests review of any artwork for compliance with the Commission’s policy, the final decision regarding the artwork’s suitability for display will be made by the Commission. While it is not the intent to censor any artwork, we do wish to avoid artwork that is potentially inappropriate for display in this highly travelled area leading to the Capitol.
AWARD NOTIFICATION
The Third District's 2025 Congressional Art Competition winners will be decided by public voting on our online portal. The link to vote will be available on our website from March 31st-April 23rd. One entry will be chosen as the winner of the 2025 Congressional Art Competition, and a runner-up will be selected as the Community Choice Award winner. Winners will be notified by April 28th.
The winning submission from the Third District will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol Building for one year alongside artwork from every congressional district across the nation. The Community Choice winner will have their work displayed in my Louisville office.
KEY DATES
- Submission form opens: February 2nd
- Deadline for submissions: March 29th by 11:59 PM ET
- Public online voting portal opens: March 31st
- Public online voting portal closes: April 23rd at 12 PM ET
- Overall and Community Award winners notified: April 28th
- Louisville award ceremony for both winners: TBA
- Washington D.C. award ceremony (Overall Winner only): June 25th
- (Winner and ONE GUEST may attend the national celebration. Roundtrip airfare for two is provided. Winner is responsible for hotel accommodations and all D.C. related expenses such as excursions, transportation, meals, etc.)
HOW TO ENTER THE 2026 KY-03 ART COMPETITION
- Review the 2026 Rules for Students and Teachers.
- Complete the 2026 Student Release Form.
- Submit the Student Release Form and 2026 Art Competition Submission Form.
Please contact ArtCompKY03@mail.house.gov with any questions.