Art Competition

The deadline for the 2026 Congressional Art Competition is Monday, March 2, 2026.

The Congressional Art Competition was started 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. The competition is open to all high school students (grades 9 - 12) currently enrolled in the 7th District. The winner of our district competition will have their artwork displayed for one year in the U.S. Capitol and will receive two round-trip flights to Washington D.C. to attend a congratulatory reception.

Guidelines

2026 Theme

"Reflecting on Alabama’s 7th: Where History is Made"

Submission Deadline

Monday, March 2, 2026

General Guidelines

  • The competition is open to high school students only. 
  • Artwork must be 2-dimensional.
  • Each piece can be no larger than 26” x 26” x 4” (26 inches high, 26 inches wide, and 4 inches deep), including the frame. If your artwork is selected as the winning piece, it will be required to be framed and must adhere to the size guidelines.
  • Artwork cannot weigh more than 15 lbs.
  • A full list of rules can be found here.

Accepted Mediums

  • Paintings: oil, acrylics, watercolor, etc.
  • Drawings: colored pencil, pencil, ink, marker, pastels, charcoal (Charcoal and pastel must 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
  • Photograph

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 (other than the student’s own), painting, graphic, advertisement, or any other work produced by another person is a violation of the competition rules and will not be accepted. Work entered must be in the original medium (that is, not a scanned reproduction of a painting or drawing).

All participants of the district competition are invited to attend the 2026 Congressional Art Competition Reception where we will announce the overall winner (additional information to follow).

Upon selection, the chosen winner’s artwork will hang in the U.S. Capitol Building for one year. The winner and a guardian will also receive roundtrip airfare to D.C. for a national reception and a potential scholarship opportunity.

Artwork must adhere to the policy of the House Office Building Commission. In accordance with this policy, exhibits depicting subjects of contemporary political controversy or a sensationalistic or gruesome nature are not allowed. It is necessary that all artwork be reviewed by the panel chaired by the Architect of the Capitol and any portion not in consonance with the Commission’s policy will be omitted from the exhibit. The panel will make the final decision regarding the suitability of all artwork for the Congressional Art Competition exhibition in the Capitol.

Students with additional questions about the art competition should contact Delphine Lee in Congresswoman Sewell’s Montgomery Satellite Office at (334) 262-1919.

> Click HERE to download the 2026 Rules & Regulations.

> Click HERE to download the 2026 Student Information Release Form.

2025 Winners

The theme for the 2025 Congressional Art Competition was "Picturing a Future for our Historic District"

Last year’s winners were:

  • 1st Place - "Bama Beams Ahead" by Victoria Hardin, 9th grader at Hillcrest High School in Tuscaloosa, Alabama
  • 2nd Place - “A Ribbon in the Sky” by Kayden Prince, 12th grader at Paul W. Bryant High School in Cottondale, Alabama
  • 3rd Place - “Stand, for We Light the Way” by KaNiya Williams, 11th grader at Amelia Love Johnson High School in Thomaston, Alabama
  • 4th Place - “The Bridge Between Yesterday and Tomorrow” by Ja’Kya Furniss, 12th grader at Huffman High School in Birmingham, Alabama
  • Honorable Mention - “You Are Enough” by Kensharie Roy, 11th grader at Minor High School in Adamsville, Alabama
  • Honorable Mention - “A Self Portrait of Emanuel Garcia” by Emanuel Garcia, 12th grader at Clay-Chalkville High School in Pinson, Alabama
  • Honorable Mention - “The Heart Revealed” by Brianna Turner, 11th grader at Demopolis High School in Demopolis, Alabama