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Art Competition

Each spring, the Congressional Institute sponsors a nationwide high school art competition. The competition is open to all high school students in the Fifth District. The overall winner from the Fifth Congressional District will have the honor of having their artwork displayed for one year in the U.S. Capitol.

This year’s Congressional Art Competition theme is “If You’re Ever in My Oklahoma.” Take this opportunity to highlight your most treasured aspects of your hometown in a way that allows the viewer to get a glimpse of your Oklahoma.

The deadline for submission is April 5, 2024. All artwork must be dropped off at my District Office at the address below by 5 o'clock pm on April 5, 2024. 

The rules and release form are linked below.

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 (It is recommended that charcoal and pastel drawings 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
  • 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. For more information on copyright laws, we recommend you visit the Scholastic website and view the Guide to Copyright and Plagiarism. 

Work entered must be in the original medium (that is, not a scanned reproduction of a painting or drawing).

The full rules for students and teachers

 

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. Each Member of Congress will be required to submit a Letter of Support confirming that the Member has determined that the winning artwork adheres to the Commission’s policy. However, if another Member of Congress requests review of any artwork for compliance with the Commission’s policy, the final decision regarding the artwork’s suitability for display will be made by the Commission. 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 traveled 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.

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 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.

Artwork can be dropped off at Congresswoman Bice’s District Office.

Oklahoma City
Congresswoman Bice's Downtown OKC Office
500 N. Broadway, Suite 250
Oklahoma City, OK 73102

Hours:
M-F,  9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

For more information, please contact the Oklahoma City District Office at 405-300-6890 and ask to speak with the Art Competition Coordinator."

I have hyperlinked the lines that read "The full rules for students and teachers" and "Student Information and Release Form" with PDFs provided to me by the office. I have not only uploaded these PDFs into Fireside , but I have also attached them in this email.