U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor’s Congressional Art Competition entries now on display at Tampa Museum of Art

U.S. Rep. Castor is hosting her annual high school art competition, and the Tampa Museum of Art will feature entries through May 2. Each year, dozens of budding artists from Hillsborough County public and private high schools compete in this event and a winner is selected to feature his or her artwork in the U.S. Capitol for one year, beginning in June.

Art and talent are celebrated across the Tampa Bay area for enriching our lives. And, just as importantly for our local economy: an arts economic impact report issued last year by Americans for the Arts states that the nonprofit arts and culture sector is a $433.2 million industry in Hillsborough County – one that supports 14,962 full-time equivalent jobs and generates $51.9 million in local and state government revenue. So the competition has meaning both for demonstrating our local talent, and identifying and exposing future entrepreneurs .

“Every year I am proud to host this event to showcase artwork of numerous mediums – watercolors, drawings, oil on canvass, photography, and sculptures – by young artists who show great promise of a bright future. I invite our neighbors to support these creative students and the economic impact that the culture and arts industry makes right here in our community,” U.S. Rep. Castor said.

U.S. Rep. Castor’s annual congressional art competition winner will be chosen on Sunday, April 29 during a special ceremony for participating students and their families and art teachers.

Previous winners of U.S. Rep. Castor’s Congressional Art Competition include:

2017: Norys Curbelo-Bermudez, Alonso High School, "Le Blues"

2016: Aidan Schaffert, Gibbs High School, "This is a Bad Time."

2015: Nam Ho, Alonso High School

2014: Jairo Argueta, Leto High School, “Nature is my Companion.”

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