Each year, the U.S. House of Representatives sponsors the Congressional Art Competition for high school students. This competition is an exciting way for a student from our region to represent the Ninth Congressional District in Washington, D.C. The Artistic Discovery Contest is open to all high school students in the Ninth District.
The chosen theme for 2026 is “Celebrating 250 Years of America.” Interested students must submit a photograph of their original artwork to either my Christiansburg or Abingdon office by 5:00 pm on Friday, April 17 for consideration. Each entry must be accompanied by a completed student information release form to qualify.
The overall winner of our district’s competition will be displayed for one year in the U.S. Capitol and will be invited to Washington for a reception. The second and third place selections will be displayed in my Christiansburg and Abingdon offices.
Art works entered in the contest may be up to 26 inches by 26 inches (including the frame) and may be up to 4 inches in depth. Artwork must be two-dimensional and cannot weigh more than 15 pounds. The work may be:
*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
All entries must be original in concept, design and execution.
The Congressional Art Competition began in 1982 to provide an opportunity for members of Congress to encourage and recognize the artistic talents of their young constituents. Since then, over 650,000 high school students have been involved with the nationwide competition.
For more information on the annual Congressional Art Competition, contact the Abingdon office at (276) 525-1405 or visit the Congressional Art Competition website.
Kasey Walden of Bristol’s Virginia High School won the 2025 Congressional Art Competition in Virginia’s Ninth Congressional District. Her artwork is entitled ‘George Washington, Virginian.’
