Georgian Court University will host the Fourth Congressional District Art Competition for amateur artists from May 4 through May 8 at the M. Christina Geis Art Gallery. The winning entry will be placed on display in the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.

The competition is an initiative of the United States House of Representatives to promote the talent of young high school artists from across the nation. Ninth- through twelfth-grade students in public and private high schools throughout the Fourth Congressional District are participating in this year's local competition.

“The annual Congressional Art Competition gives aspiring young artists from all over the Fourth District a chance to showcase their extraordinary talents and abilities. Much thanks and appreciation also goes to Georgian Court University for graciously hosting the competition each year and their support for the arts,” said U.S. Representative Chris Smith (NJ-04).

Judges, who are local professional artists, will select the winning entry (Best of Show) and four categories for first, second, and third places and honorable mention. The awards ceremony will take place on Thursday, May 7, from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m.

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 650,000 high school students have been involved with the nationwide competition. Local contests are held within each congressional district, and the winning entries from all districts are displayed in the Cannon Tunnel, which connects the Cannon House Office Building with the U.S. Capitol, for a period of one year. Each winning student receives an invitation to attend a grand-opening ceremony for the unveiling of the display in Washington, D.C., on June 24, 2009.

The exhibit is free and open to the public. The M. Christina Geis Art Gallery is located on the second floor of the Arts and Science Center building on the Lakewood campus, located at 900 Lakewood Avenue. Gallery hours are Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. For more information, call Kathleen Settles at 732.987.2388.