2026 Congressional Art Competition
2026 Congressional Art Competition
The 2026 Congressional Art Competition is now closed. Thank you to all of the students across Colorado’s Third District who participated and shared their work this year.
Each spring, Members of the U.S. House of Representatives sponsor a nationwide high school arts competition to recognize and encourage artistic talent across the country and within their districts. Congressman Jeff Hurd was proud to host this year’s competition for Colorado’s Third District.
As we marked 250 years of America and 150 years of Colorado, the theme for the 2026 competition was: Echoes of 1776 and 1876.
The Congressional Art Competition is open to all high school students in the district. The winning artwork from Colorado’s Third District will be displayed for one year in the U.S. Capitol alongside winning entries from districts across the country. The winning piece is also featured on House.gov’s Congressional Art Competition page.
The submission deadline for the 2026 competition was Friday, April 17, 2026. Students were required to submit their artwork and a completed student release form to one of the district offices in Grand Junction, Pueblo, or Durango. The Congressional Art Competition will reopen next year with a new theme. Additional details, including submission timelines and guidelines for the 2027 competition, will be posted here once available.
Please find the 2026 Congressional Art Competition official competition rules and student release linked. You can learn more about the competition on the Congressional Institute website.
Rules:
- Students must live in Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District. To see if you live in the 3rd District, please use this link.
- Students in grades 9-12 can compete in the 2026 Congressional Art Competition. This includes Home School and Charter School students.
- Students must submit the artwork as well as the student release form to be considered.
- Artwork must be the creation of a single student. Students may not collaborate.
- All entries must be original in concept, design, and execution and may not violate any U.S. copyright laws.
- Work must be in the original medium (No photocopies.)
- Artwork must be two-dimensional. Each framed artwork can be no larger than 26 inches high, 26 inches wide, 4 inches deep, and 15 pounds.
- Art does not need to be framed when submitted to Congressman Hurd’s office. If your artwork is selected, it will be framed.
The winning student selected to represent Colorado’s 3rd District will have their original artwork displayed for a year on the walkway that connects the offices of the House of Representatives to the U.S. Capitol. The winner also receives airfare for themselves and a chaperone to attend the CAC reception on June 11th in Washington, D.C.
If you would like more information on the annual Congressional Art Competition, please email riley.scott@mail.house.gov or call the Grand Junction office at 970-208-0455.