Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin today announced the opening of the 2024 Congressional High School Art Competition, an opportunity for students in Michigan’s 7th Congressional District to showcase their artistic abilities. Students in grades 9-12 who reside or attend school in the 7th District are invited to prepare their work for submission over the next few weeks, with the winning entry to be displayed in the U.S. Capitol for one year. Previous winners include students from Okemos and Lansing.
“The Congressional High School Art Competition is a wonderful opportunity to showcase our students’ talents to our entire community and to the Members of Congress, staff and visitors who walk through the Capitol every day,” Slotkin said. “Every year, students from across the district impress me with their skills, and I’m looking forward to seeing their creativity and their emotions shine through in this year’s submissions.”
The winning selection will hang in the U.S. Capitol for one year alongside artwork from students from across the nation. The second-place submission will be displayed in Congresswoman Slotkin’s Washington, D.C. office, and the third-place entry will hang in her district office in Lansing. Artwork entered in the contest may be up to 26 inches by 26 inches, up to 4 inches in-depth, and cannot weigh more than 15 pounds. Acceptable artwork submissions include:
• Paintings – including oil, acrylics, and watercolor.
• Drawings – including pastels, colored pencil, pencil, charcoal, ink, and markers (It is recommended that charcoal and pastel drawings be fixed.)
• Collages – must be two-dimensional.
• Prints – including lithographs, silkscreen, and block prints.
• Mixed Media – use of more than two mediums such as pencil, ink, watercolor, etc.
• Computer-generated art.
• Photography.
Schools and students wishing to participate should contact Maria Moore at Maria.Moore@mail.house.gov with any questions. The Congresswoman’s team will be collecting submissions from participating schools in early April. In addition to having their art hang in the U.S. Capitol for one year, the first-place winner will also receive an invitation to attend a reception with other winners from around the country in Washington, D.C. during the summer months. A reception to celebrate the artwork and recognize the district winners will take place in late Spring in Lansing.
For more information on the Congressional Art Competition, the student release form, and full eligibility requirements for artwork, visit https://slotkin.house.gov/artcompetition.
