Overview:
Each spring, the Congressional Institute sponsors a nationwide high school visual art competition to recognize and encourage artistic talent in the nation and each congressional district. Since the Artistic Discovery competition began in 1982, more than 650,000 high school students have participated.
Each Congressional office hosts its own competition for high school students in their district using its own criteria. Once a winner is selected, their artwork is displayed for 11 months in the Cannon Tunnel that leads into the U.S. Capitol – a path frequented by Members of Congress, staff, and visitors from around the world. Winners are recognized both in their district and at an annual awards ceremony in Washington, DC.
To facilitate this important competition, Congresswoman Yassamin Ansari’s District Office will foster outreach to local high schools, nominate local artists as judges and celebrate the contestants in a ceremony honoring their contribution. All high school students in our district are invited to participate. The winner will be displayed in Washington D.C. while the runner up, third and fourth place contestants will have their artwork displayed in the lobby of Congresswoman Ansari’s District Office for 11 months.
The deadline for submissions to the 2025 Congressional Art Competition is April 11th, 2025.
Reception to be announced for selected artists.
Important Documents and Resources:
**[MAKE A COPY] 2025 Student Release Form**
AZ03 2025 Congressional Art Competition Interest Form
Congressional Institute Website
Do I live in AZ03? This will help students who are unsure if they live in the Third Congressional District. Only students who live in AZ03 may participate. Their school does not have to be in our district. Just enter your zip code.
Important Dates:
March 10th: Competition Begins
April 7th: Submission Entry Begins
April 11th: Submissions Due
April 14th: Finalists Selected
Rules:
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 (Charcoal and pastel must be fixed.)
? Collages: must be twodimensional
? Prints: lithographs, silkscreen, block prints
? Mixed Media: use of more than two mediums such as pencil, ink, watercolor, etc.
? Computer-generated art (NOT AI GENERATED)
? 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. Any entry that was completed using AI (artificial intelligence) software or tools will be disqualified.For more information on copyright laws, we recommend you visit the Scholastic website: https://www.artandwriting.org/awards/how-to-enter/copyright-plagiarism/
Work entered must be in the original medium (that is, not a scanned reproduction of a painting, drawing, etc.).
Artwork will hang in the Cannon Tunnel for the duration of the exhibition. Students should only submit artwork they will not need for other purposes. Second, third and fourth place will be hung in Congresswoman Yassamin Ansari’s District Office Lobby for the duration of the exhibition. All other works will be returned to students’ schools following the reception.
Suitability Guidelines:
Artwork must adhere to the policy of the House Office Building Commission (the Commission). In accordance with this policy, exhibits depicting subjects of contemporary political controversy or a sensationalistic or gruesome nature are not allowed. While it is not the intent to censor any artwork, we do wish to avoid artwork that is potentially inappropriate for display in this highly travelled area leading to the Capitol.
Student Information and Release Form:
Each entrant must submit a Student Information and Release Form. The Student Information and Release Form is available through the office of your Member of Congress. The information requested on the first page of the form should be provided as thoroughly as possible. Students should include their mailing addresses if they differ from their home addresses. Students should also include contact information that will be valid for several years. (For instance, students, especially seniors, are encouraged to include a personal email address rather than a school email address that will expire at the end of their senior year.)
The form requires a description of the artwork, which should be detailed, clearly identifying the major elements of the work. For example, “self-portrait” or “a picture of two people” would be unacceptable, since many artworks
would fit those descriptions. The following is an example of a useful description: “A painting of two people; the person on the left wears a green sweater and khaki pants; the person on the right wears a black shirt and a striped skirt. A dog sits at their feet.”
The second page of the Student Information and Release Form contains a legal release and a certification that the artwork is original in design and execution. The student, an art teacher, and a parent or guardian must sign where appropriate. Entries without signed originality certifications and artwork releases may not be accepted.
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.
Submission Instructions:
All students interested in competing in the AZ03 2025 Congressional Art Competition should fill out the Interest Form.
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.
Submissions will be accepted for drop off at the Phoenix District Office between 04/07/2025 and 04/11/2025.
No submissions will be accepted after 04/11/2025.
The Phoenix District Office will be open from 9am-5pm, Monday to Friday, and is located at 3770 N 7th Street, Phoenix AZ, 85014
Our office will pick up art from the entrants schools only on these dates:
04/10/2025 & 04/11/2025. Please notify Andrew Simek if students/teachers are unable to deliver art to the district office.
Contact Info:
Andrew Simek
Field Representative & District Operations Manager
Congresswoman Yassamin Ansari (AZ03)
M: 623-203-3232
O: (602)-956-2285
Submissions for the AZ03 2025 Congressional Art Competition closed on April 11th, 2025. Please stay tuned for updates for the 2026 Art Competition in the Winter of 2025. For any questions, please call our district office.
