Congressional Art Competition now open

VW independent staff/submitted information

BOWLING GREEN — U.S. Representative Bob Latta (R-OH5) has announced that his office is now accepting submissions for the 2024 Congressional Art Competition.

The Congressional Art Competition is open to all high school students, grades 9-12, who live or attend school in Ohio’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes all or part of 12 counties, including Lorain, Huron, Seneca, Crawford, Wyandot, Hancock, Wood, Henry, Putnam, Paulding, Van Wert, and Mercer.

The 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.

The deadline for submission is 5 p.m. Friday, April 19.

Once received, all artwork will be displayed at Bowling Green State University until honorees are recognized at a reception. The winning piece will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol Building Complex in Washington, D.C. for one year, and three honorable mention pieces will be displayed in Latta’s district offices.

“Ohio’s Fifth District is home to many talented student artists, and the Congressional Art Competition is a wonderful way to recognize their artistic abilities,” Latta said. “Each year, it never ceases to amaze me the creativity of the pieces that are entered into the Congressional Art Competition, and I look forward to seeing what imaginative and creative artwork is showcased.”

Each student is allowed one entry. Eligible artwork includes the following:

• Paintings: oil, acrylics, watercolor, etc.
• Drawings: pastels, colored pencil, pencil, charcoal, ink, markers
• Collages: must be two-dimensional
• Prints: lithographs, silkscreen, block prints
• Mixed Media: use of more than two mediums such as pencil, ink, etc.
• Computer-Generated Art
• Photography

All entries must meet the following criteria:

• The submission must be two-dimensional.
• If selected as the winning piece, it must arrive in Washington, D.C., framed.
• The submission must be no larger than 26 inches high, 26 inches wide, and 4 inches deep, including the frame.
• It also must have a wire attached to the back suitable for hanging on a wall.
• The submission must not weigh more than 15 pounds.
• The submission must be original in concept, design, and execution and may not violate any U.S. copyright laws.

It is recommended that charcoal and pastel drawings be fixed. Work entered must be in the original medium; that is, not a scanned reproduction of a painting or drawing. Framing rules apply only to the winning artwork.

For information on submitting artwork for the competition, or to help answer any questions, please contact Barbara Orange in the Bowling Green office at 419.354.8700 or by emailing barbara.orange@mail.house.gov.