Maryville, Illinois – Congressman John Shimkus (R, Illinois-15) is accepting entries for the 2016 Congressional Art Competition through Friday, April 15. The contest is open to high school students in the 15th Congressional District.
“Students have just one more week to submit their artwork for this year’s competition,”Shimkus said. “The winning artwork from my district will be displayed in Washington, DC, in a tunnel that connects the Cannon House Office Building to the Capitol. Hundreds of staff and visitors will see the artwork each day.”
Acceptable mediums include: paintings, drawings, collages, prints, photographs, computer-generated art, and mixed media. Artwork must be two-dimensional, no larger than 28 inches by 28 inches by four inches including the frame, cannot weigh more than 15 pounds, and must be original in content. Artwork need not be framed to participate in the competition,though the winning piece must be framed before it can be sent to Washington. Entry forms and a full list of guidelines are available at shimkus.house.gov/art.
The winning entry will be chosen by a panel from the district and the finalists will also be displayed on the congressman’s website and Facebook page. The winning artist is then invited to participate in a ceremony in Washington, and Southwest Airlines will fly him or her and a guest out to DC for free.
Art teachers and participants may contact Jenny Pruitt, at (618) 252-8271 or via email at[email protected], for more information or to arrange a pickup of artwork.
