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 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 work is displayed for one year at the U.S. Capitol.
If you are a student residing in the 4th District, you can submit one original piece for consideration in the Congressional Art Competition through the office of Congressman Auchincloss. Each year, the Congressman assembles an independent panel of artists from across the Massachusetts 4th District to select the winning submission. This piece will be sent down to Washington, DC to hang in the U.S. Capitol for the next year.
HOW TO ENTER
All students entering the competition will need to complete an ONLINE APPLICATION FORM. The physical artwork must be dropped off to either of Congressman Auchincloss’ district offices (please call ahead):
Attleboro District Office: 8 N Main Street Suite 200, Attleboro, MA 02703 (Phone: 508-431-1110)
Newton District Office: 29 Crafts Street Suite 375, Newton, MA 02458 (Phone: 617-332-3333)
Fall River (satellite location open on Wednesdays): 1 Government Center Office 237B, Fall River, MA 02722 (Please emailHeather.Kilkenny@mail.
The Congressman’s office can also work directly with schools to arrange for a time for our staff to come pick up students’ artwork at the school if multiple students are submitting. Please email Jenna Massoud at Jenna.Massoud@mail.house.
DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION: Students must drop off their artwork at Congressman Auchincloss’ offices no later than Monday, April 24, 2023 at 5:00pm. If a student’s school is arranging for staff to come pick up the artwork at the school, the artwork must be ready by the arranged time. No late submissions will be considered.
**Please include the Student Release Form with your submission. Any artwork submitted without a Student Release Form cannot be considered for judging.
Important competition guidelines:
- Artwork must be two dimensional, no larger than 26" x 26" x 4” (including matting or framing)
- Artwork must weigh less than 15 lbs.
- Artwork must be original in concept, design and execution – and must comply with U.S. Copyright laws. Any entry that has been copied from an existing photo, painting, graphic, advertisement, or any work produced by another person will NOT be accepted.
- Artwork must be within the following categories.
- Paintings: oils, watercolors, acrylics, etc.
- Drawings: pastels, colored pencil, pencil, charcoal, ink, markers
- Collage: 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
- Photography
- Read more at the Congressional Institute website.
ELIGIBILITY
- Artwork must be original in concept, design and execution – and must comply with U.S. Copyright laws. Any entry that has been copied from an existing photo, painting, graphic, advertisement, or any work produced by another person will NOT be accepted.
- The Competition is open to public and private High School students only. Exceptions may be made for schools that have 7th through 12th grades on one campus.
- Each student must verify that their residence is in the Fourth Congressional District.
You can read the rules and guidelines published by the Congressional Institute.
Please note: Any 4th District student entering a piece must also complete the ONLINE APPLICATION FORM.
RECEPTION
We will be hosting an in-person reception onSunday, April 30, 2023 from 2:00-3:00pm at the Attleboro Arts Museum (86 Park Street, Attleboro, MA). All submitted artwork will be on display for public viewing, and the winner will be announced at the reception. Please RSVP for the reception by emailing Jenna.Massoud@mail.
INFORMATION FOR WINNING ARTWORK
- The winning piece of artwork must be framed by the student or school. This is per instructions of the Congressional Institute.
- Two sturdy screw-in eye hooks must be attached at the top left and right sides of the back of the frame for hanging to prevent the work from leaning forward or hanging unevenly (examples are in guidelines).
- Artwork must have student’s correct identification on back of artwork.
- Winning artwork must be submitted in the original medium (no scanned reproductions accepted).
Please email Jenna.Massoud@mail.