High school students invited to participate in 2014 Congressional Art Competition

High school students who live in New Jersey’s 3rd Congressional District are invited to enter the 2014 Congressional Art Competition. The winning piece of artwork from each congressional district will be displayed in a special exhibit in the U.S. Capitol for one year. Also, the winning artists and a guest will be invited to attend a special unveiling ceremony for the exhibit in Washington, D.C.

Photo via house.gov
"A Walk in My Shoes," by Carli Grace, was
NJ's 3rd Congressional District's 2013 winner.

“The Congressional Art Competition is something I look forward to every spring,” stated Congressman Jon Runyan (N.J.-3rd). “This is a wonderful opportunity for young artists to showcase their creativity and have the chance to represent their schools and their communities in the U.S. Capitol. Each year I am amazed by the talent of the students, and since this will be my last time participating in the event, I am even more eager to see all of the entries,” he added.

The Congressional Art Competition, which began in 1982 to provide an opportunity for members of Congress to encourage and recognize the artistic talents of their young constituents, has since involved over 650,000 high school students in the nationwide competition.

Although only high school students are eligible to enter, exceptions may be made for schools that include seventh through 12th grade on one campus. Participating students must have a permanent address within the 3rd Congressional District.

One piece of artwork will be accepted per student. However, there is no limit to the number of entries from each school.

Each entry must be original in concept, design and execution and may not violate any U.S. copyright laws. Any entry that has been copied from an existing photo, painting, graphic, advertisement or any other work produced by another person is considered a violation of the competition rules and will not be accepted.

Acceptable artwork mediums include paintings, drawings, two-dimensional collages, mixed media, photography and computer-generated art.

The deadline for schools to submit their list of participating students is Wednesday, April 23. The submissions will be scored by a panel of three independent judges. The final decision for the Best In Show piece to be submitted to the exhibit in the Capitol will be at the discretion of a judge selected by Runyan’s office.

For additional information regarding competition guidelines and deadlines, call Kristin Antonello at 856-780-6436.

— Kelley Anne Essinger


This article was published in The SandPaper.