Each year, the U.S. House of Representatives sponsors the Congressional Art Competition for high school students. This competition offers a unique opportunity for a student from the Ninth Congressional District to represent their region in Washington.
The Artistic Discovery Contest is open to all high school students in the Ninth District. The chosen theme for 2025 is “Commemorating Virginia’s Contribution to the American Revolution.” Interested students must submit a photograph of their original artwork to either the Christiansburg or Abingdon office by 5 p.m. on Monday, April 28, for consideration.
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Each entry must be accompanied by a completed student information release form to qualify. The 2025 student information release form can be found at the bottom of this page. The overall winner of the 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 the Christiansburg and Abingdon offices.
Artworks 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 include:
- 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 participated in the nationwide competition.
Rishi Nair of Blacksburg High School won the 2024 Congressional Art Competition in Virginia’s Ninth Congressional District.
