2025 Art Competition
Each spring, a nation-wide high school arts competition is sponsored by the Members of the U.S. House of Representatives. 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. Today, the Artistic Discovery Contest is an opportunity to recognize and encourage the artistic talent in the nation, as well as in South Carolina's 1st district.
The contest is open to all high school students in the District. The over-all winner of our district's competition will be displayed for one year in the U.S. Capitol. The exhibit in Washington will also include artwork from other contest winners nation-wide.
Congressman Mace's office is now accepting submissions for the 2025 Congressional Art Competition. Please see the requirements and submission guidelines below.
Requirements
Artwork must be two-dimensional. Each framed artwork can be no larger than 26 inches high, 26 inches wide, and 4 inches deep. If your artwork is selected as the winning piece, it must arrive in Washington, DC, framed. Even when framed, it must still measure no larger than the above maximum dimensions. No framed piece should weigh more than 15 pounds.
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 additional information on requirements, please review the 2025 Rules for Students and Teachers.
Submissions Guidelines
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 retain a copy for your records. Click here to fill out the release form.
To submit your piece, please use the submission form below.
The deadline to submit artwork to be considered for the 2025 competition is Friday, April 11, 2025. If you are submitting your work in-person, please drop off your work by 5:00 p.m. EST.
If you would like more information on my annual Congressional Art Competition, please submit the form below. Please only complete this form if you are a resident of South Carolina's First Congressional District. You must contact your representative to confirm your district’s participation and obtain specific guidance. You may find your representative here.
PLEASE FILL OUT THE STUDENT RELEASE FORM HERE & SUBMIT: