2026 Art Competition for High School Students
The 2026 Competition is Now Accepting Submissions!
Deadline: April 8, 2026 @ 11:59 p.m. PST
Each Spring, my office participates in the Congressional-Institute-sponsored Artistic Discovery Competition, a nationwide high school visual art competition, to recognize and encourage artistic talent in the nation and every congressional district. Since the Artistic Discovery competition began in 1982, more than 650,000 high school students have participated. Our office is accepting submissions for the 2026 Congressional Art Competition, open to all high school students (9th-12th Grade) who either reside or attend school in the 42nd District, until April 8th, 2026.
Interested students can submit entries to our office where a panel of artists from around the district will select the winning entries. Winners will be recognized at a reception in the district and be invited to attend the annual awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. The winning artwork will be displayed for 11 months at the U.S. Capitol alongside pieces from participating districts around the country. The second- and third-place winners will also have their artwork displayed in prominent locations in our offices located in Washington, D.C. and Long Beach.
Submit your entry here!
→ Download the Student Release Form here
→ Learn more about the Competition here
2025 CONGRESSIONAL ART COMPETITION WINNER
"Crawling" by Payton Miller – Millikan High School, Long Beach, CA
•••
2024 CONGRESSIONAL ART COMPETITION WINNER
"Self Portrait 0.5" by Angelina Keller – Millikan High School, Long Beach, CA
•••
2023 CONGRESSIONAL ART COMPETITION WINNER
"Overloaded" by Grace Barrios – Downey High School, Downey, CA
Representative Garcia and Downey High School sophomore, Grace Barrios, the winner of the 2023 Congressional Art Competition for California’s 42nd Congressional District.
