2018 Congressional Art Award Winners

The winners of the 2018 Congressional Art Competition are Galen Gaze of Brunswick and Isobel Straub of Rangeley, Maine.

The Congressional Art Competition takes place each spring, when the Congressional Institute sponsors a nationwide high school visual art competition to recognize and encourage artistic talent in the nation and in each congressional district. Since this competition began in 1982, more than 650,000 high school students have participated, according to the U.S. House of Representatives website. This year’s winners representing Maine's two congressional districts were chosen by a panel of jurors appointed by the Maine Arts Commission. 

Galen Gaze, a senior from Brunswick High School, won the 1st District with her illustration entitled “Toucanana.” Isobel Straub, a senior from Rangeley Lakes Regional High School, took top honors in the 2nd District for her photograph entitled "Wait." Both Isobel and Galen will have their artwork on display at the U.S. Capitol for one year and will be offered respective scholarships to attend Maine College of Art.

DISTRICT ONE	DISTRICT TWO
Toucanana by Galen Gaze Grade 12, Brunswick High School Art Teacher: Colleen Kearney-Graffam	Wait by Isobel Straub Grade 12, Rangeley Lakes Regional High School  Art Teacher: Maryam Emami

View all the winners from each district - Slideshows below:

About the Congressional Art Awards

The Congressional Art Competition began in 1982 to provide an opportunity for Members of Congress to encourage and recognize the artistic talents of their young constituents. Since then, over 700,000 high school students have competed for the honor of having their work shown in the U.S. Capitol.

The competition is open to all high school students. The overall winner of each participating district will have the opportunity to have their work displayed in the Cannon Tunnel of the U.S. Capitol for the entire year, beginning in June. In addition, winners will be flown to Washington, D.C. for the official opening of the show in June.

The Maine Arts Commission partners with the Maine College of Art (MECA) and the National Scholastic Art and Writing Awards to select the artwork. Artwork that MECA has invited to exhibit for the annual Maine Regional Scholastic Art Awards are automatically submitted to be juried for the Congressional Art Competition.

For information about the Congressional Art Competition please contact Julie Horn of the Maine Arts Commission, at vog.eniam@nroh.eiluj or 207-287-2790.