CONGRESSIONAL ART COMPETITION OPENS
Digital submissions will be accepted until April 23
High school students throughout Mendocino County — and indeed the entire North Coast — are eligible to enter the 2021 Congressional Art Competition, for a chance to have their artwork exhibited in the U.S. Capitol Building for a year.
The competition occurs annually, and digital submissions will be accepted until April 23. Last year’s winner from the 2nd Congressional District, which includes Mendocino County, was Ukiah High School junior Diya Patel, whose artwork was titled “Trapped.”
“As our community grapples with life during a pandemic, art is a tool that serves as a positive, transformative outlet,” Rep. Jared Huffman (D-san Rafael) said in June 2020, when that year’s winners were announced. “Congratulations to Diya, and to all the talented students who participated in the competition. I am grateful to artists, teachers, and judges for their dedication to make sure this beloved tradition continues, even during this challenging time.”
Huffman has provided the following information about this year’s competition, which is open to all high school students in California’s 2nd Congressional District, which runs from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Oregon border.
“I am excited to announce the 2021 Congressional Art Competition is now open for digital submissions,” Huffman said. “We’ve all been finding new ways to connect and engage with each other during the pandemic, and this year we have a new online submission process that will allow young artists from up and down California’s North Coast to submit their pieces for a chance to have their art hang in the United State Capitol Building.”
Students must submit a completed entry form through Congressman Huffman’s website and email a picture of their submission to Ca2artsubmission@ mail.house.gov by April 23.
The winning artwork will
be exhibited in the U.S. Capitol Building for one year alongside artwork from each Congressional District in the country. The winning student will receive two round-trip tickets to Washington, D.C. All participants will receive a certificate of recognition. The winner will also be eligible for a scholarship to attend Savannah College of Art and Design (upon admission acceptance).
Semi-finalist competitions will take place in each county, and a district-wide competition will determine the winner of
the 2nd District. Previous winners include: Diya Patel of Ukiah (2020), Eden Winniford of Cloverdale (2019), and Jaslyn Ortiz of Cloverdale (2018).
Guidelines for the Congressional Art Competition
• Artwork must be two-dimensional.
• Each piece can be no larger than 26”h x 26”w x 4”d, including frame (frame optional unless selected as winner).
• Artwork cannot weigh more
than 15 lbs.
• Artwork must be original in concept, may not violate U.S. copyright laws, and must be original in medium (scanned copies are not allowed). Acceptable media for artwork are as follows:
• Paintings: oil, acrylics, watercolor, etc.
• Drawings: pastels, colored pencil, pencil, charcoal, ink, markers
• Collage: two dimensional
• Prints: lithographs, silkscreen, block prints
• Mixed Media: use of more than two mediums such as pencil, ink, watercolor, etc.
• Computer-generated Art
• Photography
All submissions must be submitted online by April 23. Do not mail in your submission.
Educators and students seeking more information may visit Congressman Huffman’s website or the official House of Representatives competition webpage.
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 been involved with the nationwide competition.
Editor’s note: Mendocino County students who enter the contest and would like to share information about their entries with our readers are invited to also email a picture of their submission, along with some information about it, to udjjm@ukiahdj.com with “Congressional Art Competition” in the subject line. Please include your name, grade and the school you attend, along with a phone number where we can reach you for more information.