Congressman John Shimkus’ office is accepting entries for the 2014 Congressional Art Competition.
Saint Louis / Image by Roger Starkey
High school students can submit original artwork in the mediums of paintings, drawings, collages, prints, photographs, computer-generated art and mixed media. Artwork must be two-dimensional, no larger than 28 inches by 28 inches by four inches, including the frame and cannot weigh more than 15 pounds.
Entrants for the nationwide contest, open to high school students, are submitted through congressional representatives. Shimkus is accepting entries for residents of the 15th Congressional District, in Illinois. Entries are due by April 17.
The winning artist within the district will be invited to participate in a ceremony in Washington D.C. Southwest Airlines will fly the winner and a guest to the nation’s capital, for free.
District entries will be displayed at the Tarbel Arts Center at Eastern Illinois University on April 27. “Members of the Coles County Arts Council will assist in judging the entries,” Shimkus said in a statement.
Entries must be accompanied by a Student Information and Release Form, which includes a release by the student, art teacher and a parent or guardian. Guidelines and the form are posted on Shimkus’ website, shimkus.house.gov, under “Constituent Services.” For more information, contact Shimkus’ Danville office at 217-446-0664.
Entries may be delivered to Shimkus’ Maryville office at 15 Professional Park Drive, or any of his other offices, located in Danville, Effingham and Harrisburg.
Those who live outside the 15th Congressional District can still enter the nationwide competition. Entry information can be found under the “How to Enter the 2014 Art Competition” heading on the competition’s web page.
If you are unsure if you live in the 15th Congressional District, you are not alone. The district is one of the finer examples of political gerrymandering one can find. A map of the district can be found here.
The district includes slivers of Collinsville, including Main Street, but not Clay Street, one block away. If it were located in Chicago, only 60 percent of the voters in Collinsville’s St. John’s Cemetery would be able to cast ballots in the 15th Congressional District.
Maryville, for the most part, is divided along Illinois Route 159, with the eastern portion in the district. The remainder of the 62062 zip code is represented by Rodney Davis, who is one of three state representatives in the 62234 zip code.
