Congressional Art Competition and App Challenge
Congressional Art Competition
Congressman Bill Foster invites students to participate in the 2026 Congressional Art Competition
In February 1982, the Congressional Arts Caucus opened the first Competition for entries. The annual Congressional Art Competition celebrates the artistic achievements of our nation’s high school students. It is one of the most beloved events the House holds annually.
The winning artwork from each congressional district hangs in the Cannon Tunnel of the U.S. Capitol for one year. With the many challenges and difficulties that Representatives and staff face daily, the Congressional Art Competition entertains, amuses, and enlightens the House and its visitors. Having a piece of artwork displayed in the U.S. Capitol is a significant achievement for any artist, and one of high honor for these young artists.
To learn more, watch a video on the Congressional Art Competition here.
Who Can Participate:
The competition is open to high school students (grades 9 – 12). High schools are not limited by kind (e.g., home-schooled, charter, alternative, continuation, or special education are all encouraged to enter).
Students should enter the competition in the district they reside in, not where they attend school.
Not sure of your congressional district or who your member is? Click here.
Artwork Guidelines:
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.
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.
Work entered must be in the original medium (that is, not a scanned reproduction of a painting, drawing, etc.).
Accepted Mediums:
- Paintings: oil, acrylics, watercolor, etc.
- Drawings: colored pencil, pencil, ink, marker, pastels, charcoal (it is recommended that charcoal and pastel drawings be fixed).
- Collage: 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.
Additional guidelines for students and teachers can be found here:
2026 Congressional Art Competition Rules and Regulations
Submission Information:
Participating students must complete the Student Release Form. A TYPED 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 its originality. A loose copy of the form must also accompany the submission.
Submission Guidelines:
- Submission Deadline: April 17, 2026
- Each student may submit up to two pieces of artwork
- Artwork should be mounted on a sturdy surface but does not need to be framed
- Submissions can be dropped off at the Aurora office:
2000 W. Galena Blvd., Suite 303, Aurora, IL 60506
Office Hours: Monday – Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
For after-hours drop-off, please contact maria.manzo@mail.house.gov to schedule an appointment or arrange an alternative drop-off.
The 2026 Congressional Art Competition Student Information & Release Form can be found here:
People’s Choice Award Digital Upload:
Students may upload a digital image of their artwork to participate in the People’s Choice Award.
What to Upload
- If your artwork is digital, you may upload the original digital file.
- If your artwork is a drawing, painting, or other physical piece, you may upload a photograph of the artwork.
- The uploaded image will be displayed exactly as it is submitted, please:
- Make sure the image is right-side up
- Ensure the artwork is clearly visible and well lit
- Avoid shadows, glare, or distracting backgrounds
Participation Details
- Uploading a digital image is optional.
- Only students who upload a digital image will be eligible for the People’s Choice Award.
- All students who submit physical artwork will still be eligible for the overall Congressional Art Competition, regardless of whether a digital image is uploaded.
Voting for the Facebook People’s Choice Award is open to the public, including family and friends. However, voting must be done directly through Congressman Bill Foster’s Facebook page. While the post can be shared, it should not be copied to other Facebook pages.
Artwork with the most likes wins this award.
Please upload a digital copy of your artwork here: People's Choice Award Digital Upload
Important Reminder:
Uploading a digital image does not replace the physical submission. To participate in the 2026 Congressional Art Competition and be considered for having your artwork displayed in the U.S. Capitol, students must submit their physical artwork according to the competition guidelines.
Important Dates:
- April 17, 2026: Last day to drop off and upload entries (Does not need to be framed)
- April 20 – April 24, 2026: Entries that were uploaded to the 2026 People's Choice Award Digital Upload will be showcased on Congressman Bill Foster’s Facebook for voting.
- April 26, 2026: District Congressional Art Competition Reception
- June 25, 2026: Washington, DC, Congressional Art Competition Reception
If you have any questions, please contact maria.manzo@mail.house.gov or call (630) 585.7672
Congressional App Challenge
The Congressional App Challenge is designed to engage students' creativity and encourage their participation in STEM education fields. Established by Members of the U.S. House of Representatives in 2013, this competition is a nationwide event that allows middle and high school students from across the country to compete by creating and exhibiting their software application, or "app," for mobile, tablet, or computer devices on a platform of their choice.
The winner from the 11th Congressional District will be chosen by a panel of expert judges and featured on CongressionalAppChallenge.us. The winning app will be eligible to be on display in the U.S. Capitol, and the winning students are invited to #HouseofCode Capitol Hill Reception in Washington, DC honoring the winners from across the country.
Who Can Participate:
- Student competitors must be in either middle or high school.
- Students must either live or go to school in a registered district.
- Students may compete as individuals or as teams of four. At least half of the students must live or go to school within a registered district to compete.
- Students may create any application they want, on any platform, using any programming language. There is no limit to their creativity!
Not sure of your congressional district or who your member is? CLICK HERE
Guidelines:
Students can use:
- Any programming language and any platform
- No limitation on application theme or topic.
To view complete rules and regulations CLICK HERE
Submission Information:
Students may submit apps they created prior to the Challenge, as long as their apps meet the standards of eligibility and were created within one year of the submission deadline.
A complete submission will include the following components:
- Registration Form
- Application Elements
- Demonstration
- Exit Questionnaire
Students entering the competition must submit their app to congressionalappchallenge.us
Important Dates:
May 1, 2025 – Registration for the 2025 App Challenge opens
12:00 pm EDT, Thursday, October 30th, 2025 – Submission deadline
Resources for Students and Teachers
- Code.org
- 36 Resources To Help You Teach Kids Programming
- CodeAcademy.COM self-taught courses in HTML/CSS, Python, Ruby, and PHP
- MIT App Inventor tutorial to develop mobile apps on Android phones.
- Scratch - a simple visual programming language
- Alice - used to create 3D animations
- Development Kits: