2026 Congressional Art Competition

The Congressional Art Competition is an annual event that celebrates the creativity of high school students across the country. This competition highlights the incredible talents of young artists in Michigan’s Third Congressional District.

Guidelines

The Congressional Art Competition is open to high school students who either reside in or attend school within Michigan’s Third Congressional District. Michigan’s Third Congressional District includes most of Kent County and portions of Ottawa County and Muskegon County.

Each art teacher may enter up to five students in the competition with one entry per student. If the school does not have an art teacher, the principal or school counselor may enter up to five students.

Artwork must fall within one of the following categories: painting, drawing, collage, printmaking, mixed media, original photography, or computer-generated artwork (no AI-generated artwork permitted).

All entries must be original works of art. Entries may not reproduce images from any third party, in whole or in part, in any medium, nor may they infringe upon the creative rights of others. Artwork must comply with U.S. copyright law.

Artwork must be framed or mounted and ready to hang, with hanging wire securely installed. Acetate covers are recommended for works created with pencil, ink, charcoal, pastel, or crayon.

Entries, including matting and/or frames, may be no larger than 26” x 26”, no more than 4” in depth, and must weigh no more than 15 pounds. A completed Entry Form is required for each submission and must be securely attached to the back of the artwork at the time of submission.

To Enter

To help ensure adequate space for the exhibit, art teachers, counselors, or principals are encouraged to notify our office of their intent to participate by emailing bradley.stek@mail.house.gov no later than Friday, April 1, 2026.

Students must complete the Entry Form with signatures from both a parent or guardian and their art teacher. A copy of the completed Entry Form must be securely attached to the back of the artwork.

Link to Art Entry form: MI-03 Art Entry Form

Submission Dates and Location

April 12–22, 2026
 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Please deliver artwork with completed entry forms to:

Office of Congresswoman Hillary Scholten
Gerald R. Ford Federal Building & Courthouse
110 Michigan St. NW, Suite 460
Grand Rapids, MI 49503

If you need assistance delivering artwork, please contact our office at 616-451-8383, and a staff member will be happy to assist.

Art Gallery Showcase

A gallery-style showcase will be held on April 30, 2026, at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum. Winners will be announced at the event, including a Grand Prize winner. The Grand Prize artwork will represent Michigan’s Third Congressional District in the national competition and will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol for one year.

For more information, please contact Bradley Stek at (616) 451-8383 or Bradley.Stek@mail.house.gov