ROCHESTER, MN – Congressman Brad Finstad (MN-01) today invited high school students from Minnesota’s First Congressional District to participate in the 2026 Congressional Art Competition.

Since 1982, Congress has hosted a nationwide annual art competition that allows high school students from all fifty states to showcase their artistic talent. The contest is open to all high school students (9th-12th grade) in Minnesota’s First District. The winning piece will be displayed for one year in the U.S. Capitol, and other winners’ artwork will be displayed in Congressman Finstad’s district office.

“Every year, I look forward to hosting the Congressional Art Competition and showcasing the creativity of southern Minnesota’s most talented student artists,” said Rep. Finstad. “It’s always exciting to see the entries that beautifully tell the stories of our district, and it’s a pleasure to share the winning piece with visitors walking through our U.S. Capitol.”

This year’s optional theme is “America the Beautiful: 250 Years of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.” Submissions, including the entry form, may be mailed or hand-delivered to the Rochester office at 2746 Superior Drive NW, Suite 100, Rochester, MN 55901, or the New Ulm office at 110 N. Minnesota St., Suite 5, New Ulm, MN 56073 by 5:00PM CT on Friday, April 24^th.

All submitted artwork must be original in concept, design, and execution. Further information about the program, including official rules, guidelines, and student release forms for the 2026 competition can be found on Congressman Finstad’s website or by calling the Rochester office at (507) 577-6140.

The first-place winner of last year’s First District Congressional Art Competition was Ava Siok from Winona Senior High School, for her piece, “Sparkling Sunset”.

Artist’s Description: “This art piece is a painting of a beautiful sunset landscape over the bluffs. The piece includes two ducks swimming in the water. I created this piece because it reminds me of my beautiful hometown of Winona, MN. I added a sparkling effect to the water and to the sun. I decided to take a more abstract approach than a realistic one, which allowed me to use my creativity and gave me a result I was happy with.”