Congressman Himes announced Monday that  is my pleasure to announce the 2013 Congressional Art Competition, an annual, nation-wide art contest sponsored by the U.S. House of Representatives. I encourage all students in grades 9-12 who reside in or attend high school in Connecticut’s Fourth Congressional District to participate. This is one of my favorite annual events, and meeting the student artists and their families is something I look forward to each May.

Entries are judged by a panel of local artists and representatives of arts organizations in Southwest Connecticut. The winning entry from our district is displayed for one year in the United States Capitol alongside artwork from every congressional district across the country. The winning artist from our district will receive two roundtrip tickets to attend a national reception in Washington, D.C. Runners-up from the Fourth District will have their artwork displayed in my Bridgeport and Stamford offices.

Students interested in entering this year’s competition must complete and sign a release form and fax it to my Bridgeport office at (203) 333-6655, attention Paul Coyle. Forms are required to be sent no later than April 19, 2013. Participants may find the release form here. Artwork, along with a copy of the student information and release form affixed to the back, should be delivered or shipped to my Bridgeport office by 5:00 p.m. on May 1, 2013.

You can find more information on the competition, including rules and guidelines, here. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact Paul Coyle in my Bridgeport office at (203) 333-6600.