Art Competition
NOTE: The deadline for the 2025 Congressional Art Competition has been extended to April 16th!
Each spring, a nation-wide high school arts competition is sponsored by the Members of the U.S. House of Representatives. The Artistic Discovery Contest is an opportunity to recognize and encourage the artistic talent in the nation, as well as in our Congressional District.
The Artistic Discovery Contest is open to all high school students in our District. The winning artwork of our district's competition will be displayed for one year in the U.S. Capitol. The exhibit in Washington will include the winning artwork from all participating districts from around the country. The winning artwork is also featured on House.gov's Congressional Art Competition page.
The following is a summary of the Congressional Art Competition Rules for the 5th Congressional District of Louisiana.
The competition is open to high school students only (9th-12th grade). Teachers and/or students should verify their eligibility with the Office of Congresswoman Julia Letlow.
Artwork entered in the contest may be up to 26 inches high, 26 inches wide and 4 inches deep (including frame). No framed piece should weigh more than 15 pounds.
If your artwork is selected as the winning piece, it must arrive in Washington, D.C. framed and must still measure no larger than the above maximum dimensions.
Accepted mediums for the two-dimensional artwork are as follows:
- Paintings – including oil, acrylics and watercolor
- Drawings – including pastels, colored pencil, pencil, charcoal, ink and markers (it is recommended that charcoal and pastel drawings be fixed).
- Collages – must be two dimensional
- Prints – including lithographs, silkscreen and block prints
- Mixed Media – use of more than two mediums such as pencil, ink, watercolor, etc.
- Computer-generated art
- Photography
Only one piece of artwork per school will be allowed.
All entries 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 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. Work entered must be in the original medium (that is, not a scanned reproduction of a painting or drawing).
In accordance with the House Office Building Commission policy, exhibits depicting subjects of contemporary political controversy, or a sensationalistic or gruesome nature are not allowed.
Each entrant must submit a Student Information and Release Form, which is available through the Office of Congresswoman Julia Letlow. The information on the first page of the form should be provided as thoroughly as possible. Students should include their mailing addresses, if they differ from their home addresses.
The form requires a description of the artwork, which should be detailed, clearly identifying the major elements of the work. For example, “self-portrait” or “a picture of two people” would be unacceptable, since many artworks would fit those descriptions. The following is an example of a useful description: “A painting of two people; the person on the left wears a green sweater and khaki pants; the person on the right wears a black shirt and a striped skirt. A dog sits at their feet.”
The second page of the Student Information and Release Form contains a legal release and a certification that the artwork is original in design and execution. The student, an art teacher, and a parent or guardian must sign where appropriate. Entries without signed originality certifications and artwork releases may not be accepted.
A typed copy of the Student Information and Release Form, signed by the teacher, a parent or guardian and the student, must be securely attached to the back of the artwork to certify the originality of the piece. Please find the student release form here. Please retain a copy for your records.
All winning artwork must be enhanced and protected by a sturdy frame. Frames must be made of wood or metal. No plastic “snap on” or metal frames that can easily come apart are to be used. All artwork, except paintings in oil or acrylic on canvas, must be protected by Plexiglas or glass. Plexiglas is preferred. If glass is used, special packing and shipping arrangements are encouraged to ensure that the work is not damaged if the glass breaks.
The artwork will be hung from vertical wires. 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.
The deadline for submissions is April 16, 2025. Please drop off or mail all submissions to any of our below district offices:
- Northeast Louisiana District Office (1900 North 18th Street, Suite 501, Monroe, LA 71201)
- Baton Rouge Office (7932 Wrenwood Bvld., Suite C, Baton Rouge, LA 70809)
- Hammond Office (1514 Martens Drive, Suite 3, Hammond, LA 70401)
If you would like more information on the annual Congressional District Art Competition contact our Monroe Office Manager, Cherie Phillips at Cherie.Phillips@mail.house.gov.
Artwork will hang in the Cannon Tunnel for the duration of the exhibit. Students should only submit artwork they will not need for other purposes.