CONGESSIONAL ART COMPETITION

2023 Congressional Art Competition Winner, “I’ve Been Here Before,” Charlie Kolb, Jefferson High School

Pencil drawing of self-portrait of a young woman with overlapping poses and expressions.

2024 CONGESSIONAL ART COMPETITION

The South Dakota Arts Council is now accepting student submissions for the Congressional Art Competition on behalf of U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson. The competition is open  to all South Dakota students in grades 9-12. The first-place winning entry will be displayed in the Cannon Tunnel of the United States Capitol for one year. The second-place winning entry will be displayed in Rep. Johnson’s Washington, D.C., office for one year.

The Arts Council will accept only digital submissions on behalf of Rep. Johnson. Students should send one email including a high-resolution JPEG image, along with a completed, typed PDF of the student release form to rebecca.cruse@state.sd.us. Submissions must be received by 11:59 pm CDT, on Wednesday, May 1, 2024.  Winners will be notified by Friday, May 3, 2024, and will be responsible for shipping their artwork and student release forms to the SDAC offices by May 7, 2024. The South Dakota Arts Council will have the artwork framed and will ship it to Washington, D.C., for the student.

Instructions and Deadlines

  • Submission Deadline: May 1, 2024, 11:59 pm.
  • 2024 Rules for Students and Teachers [linked here]
  • South Dakota students in 9-12 grades are eligible to participate.
  • Selected pieces must be shipped to the SDAC offices in Pierre, arriving no later than May 7, 2024.
  • Artwork must be unframed and without matting. The South Dakota Arts Council will frame student work to contest specifications.

Please review the artwork specifications and guidelines before submitting. To submit your artwork:

  • Download the student release form and type in your responses. [linked here]
  • Save the completed form as the student’s name, print, sign (or e-sign), then scan the form to submit it.
  • Attach a PDF of the completed form, along with a high-resolution jpg image of your artwork to the same email, and send to rebecca.cruse@state.sd.us