Rep. Scott Peters, a former museum board member, last week opened the 2014 Congressional Art Competition for high school students in the 52nd District of California

The competition, which began in 1982 and has seen more than 650,000 participants, is held annually in Congressional districts across the country.

“This competition is a great opportunity to not only celebrate and showcase the artistic talent and creativity of students in San Diego, Coronado, and Poway, but also encourage students to explore their creativity in a way that will foster a lifelong love of the arts,” Peters said.

“As a former board member of the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego and one of the founders of the ‘Murals of La Jolla’ effort, I’ve been a long-time supporter of the visual arts, and understand how much they add to our public spaces.”

The competition is open to all high school students in the district. All entries must be original in concept, design, and execution.  The artwork may be paintings, drawings, collage, prints, mixed media, computer generated art or photography.

The deadline is Friday, April 25, at 4 p.m. Artwork should be delivered to Peters’ San Diego District Office at 4350 Executive Drive, Suite 105, San Diego, CA, 92121.

Leaders from the local arts community will serve as the judging panel at an event at the New Children’s Museum in Downtown San Diego. This year’s winner will be invited to a celebration in Washington.

For more information on the annual Congressional District Art Competition, visit: https://scottpeters.house.gov/art-competition