Art Competition

Each Spring, the United States House of Representatives sponsors an art competition for high school students. 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.

All high school students (9-12th grade) who reside in or attend school in the Eighth Congressional District are encouraged to participate. The winning entry from Georgia’s Eighth Congressional District will be displayed in the United States Capitol for a year alongside artwork from every congressional district across the country. Artwork submitted must be original in concept, design, and execution, no larger than 26” x 26” x 4” and can be in the form of paintings (oil, acrylics, watercolor, etc.), drawings (pastels, colored pencil, pencil, charcoal, ink, markers), collage (must be 2 dimensional), prints (lithographs, silkscreen, block prints), mixed media, computer-generated art, or photography.

This year, all the entries from across the district will be displayed at the Annette Turner Howell Art Center Annex in Valdosta, GA for an exhibit lasting from April 13th -23rd.  

All artwork must be framed and submitted by March 29th at one of the following five drop-off locations:

• Howard High School: 6400 Forsyth Road, Macon, GA 
  
• Congressman Scott’s District Office in Warner Robins: 120 Byrd Way, Suite 100, Warner Robins, GA
• Lowndes High School: 1606 Norman Dr., Valdosta, GA
• Coffee County High School: 159 Trojan Way, Douglas, GA
  
• Congressman Scott’s District Office in Tifton: 127-B Central Ave N, Tifton, GA

Three award-winning works of art will be selected by a distinguished panel of local judges. I will announce the winners at an Awards Ceremony and Reception in Valdosta at the Annette Howell Turner Center Annex on Sunday, April 24, 2023, at 2:00pm. The first-place artwork will be displayed in the US Capitol for an eleven-month exhibit beginning in June, 2023. The winning student will receive two airline tickets to Washington, DC for the national ceremony and ribbon cutting of the art exhibit. The student will also be eligible to receive a $3,000 per year admission scholarship to the Savannah College of Art and Design, should they apply and be accepted.

In addition to community professionals judging the top artwork, we will continue the “People’s Choice Award.” All of the submitted entries will be posted on my Facebook page, giving 8th district constituents the opportunity to choose their favorite. The People’s Choice Award winner’s artwork will be displayed in my Washington, D.C. office, unless it is the same piece that wins the overall competition, in which case the first-place offerings apply.

We would love to have participation from every school in our district and would ask that it be limited to only one entry per student. Attached is a student application/release form to be affixed on the back of the artwork when it’s delivered to your drop-off location. Please note artwork must be framed when it is submitted.  Artwork that is submitted on a canvas does not require framing however must have hooks affixed for hanging. Artwork being delivered to High School drop sites should be done between the hours of 8am-4pm with an understanding that the school will not be liable for any damages to the artwork.

For more information or questions, please contact Charles White in our Tifton District Office: (229) 376-8061 or email at charles.white@mail.house.gov.

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