Congressional Art Winners to be Announced Saturday at Exhibition of Student Works (5/18/07)

May 23, 2007

Norton's Congressional Art Winners to be Announced Saturday at Exhibition of Student Works May 18, 2007
Washington, DC--Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) will announce the D.C. winners of the 26th Congressional Arts Competition (CAC) Saturday, May 19. The announcement will take place during an exhibit of all entries from 1 to 3 PM at The Town Hall Education Arts & Recreation Campus (THEARC) at 1901 Mississippi Ave., S.E. ( awards program expected to start at 2 PM). Artwork by the District's first place winner will be displayed for one year at the U.S. Capitol along with other first place winners from across the country. Several top D.C. entries will receive college scholarships, U.S. Savings Bonds, merit citations, gift certificates, and other prizes.

All charter, public and private District of Columbia students in grades 8 through 12 were eligible to participate. The competition received 130 artwork submissions from 121 students representing 18 schools. Competition categories included painting, drawing, collage, printmaking, photography, and computer-generated art. Artwork was judged by Elsa Smithgall, Associate Curator for the Phillips Collection, and Christine Payne, Staff Associate for Turning the Page. They noted that this year's submissions were exceptional. The Corcoran Gallery at THEARC will display the artwork until June 3^rd, and selected pieces will be shown at Norton’s District Office throughout the summer.

Norton, who will be hosting the exhibit, is the Honorary Chair of the Congressional Arts Competition Committee comprised of volunteers. “Our annual exhibit leaves no doubt that this city is full of artistically gifted kids” she said. “Yet in the nation’s schools, art is not always a priority today because of budget constraints. I hope that the congressional invitation to D.C. students to display their work in the Capitol in this national competition helps to promote art, and funding for the arts, in the schools.” Norton said she appreciated the support of competition sponsors, whose donations of prizes and exhibit space encourage young people to compete and to value their artistic talents.