2004 Artistic Discovery Competition

“Artistic Discovery” is the annual nationwide Congressional High School Art Competition initiated by Members of the U.S. House of Representatives. Each Congressional District hosts its own competition, and since the competition was first launched in 1982, over 5000 local contests have been conducted.

The Twenty-Sixth District Congressional Art Competition is open to students residing and attending public and private high schools in the 26th District. The Greater Denton Arts Council will co-sponsor the exhibition. First prize in the competition is the display of the winning student’s artwork in the United States Capitol complex for an entire year. Thousands of people visiting the nation’s capitol, as well as Members of Congress and their staffs, will be able to walk through the display area, viewing artwork from Congressional districts throughout the country—each piece highlighted with the name of the work and student artist.

Student artisans will have their works judged by a professional art educator chosen by the Greater Denton Arts Council. Competition participants, their parents, teachers, school administrators and local officials will be invited to attend a reception with Congressman Burgess to view all the entries on display at the Visual Arts Center in Denton. All the participants will be honored at a recognition ceremony during the reception, and the first place winner and honorable mentions will be announced. Up to six honorable mention entries will be chosen; each will be displayed in the 26th Congressional District office for the upcoming year.

The first place winner and one guest will be invited to the nation’s capital in June to attend a ribbon-cutting ceremony and gala reception opening the 2004 “Artistic Discovery” exhibition and honoring the winning artists from all over the country. They will be able to view their artwork, as it will be displayed for the upcoming year. The cost of the attending the ceremony is the responsibility of the competition winner.

The winners will celebrate with Congressman Burgess at this reception.