Congressman Tim Moore Announces Winner of the 2026 Congressional Art Competition for North Carolina’s 14th District

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Congressman Tim Moore announced that 9^th Grader Valentina Cutitaru, a student at Ardrey Kell High School and the Allan Fine Art Academy, is the winner of the 2026 Congressional Art Competition. Her artwork, titled "Perfect Landing," was chosen to represent North Carolina's Fourteenth District and will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol for one year.

Suheena Lily Biswas of Ballantyne Ridge High School, earned second place for her work, "A Flight in Outer Banks." Matilda McDaniel of Gaston Day School was awarded third place for her piece, "Heading North." Both of these works will be proudly displayed in Congressman Moore's Washington, D.C. office in the Longworth House Office Building.

Honorable Mentions:

• Tideglass over the Carolinas, Raygan Maxey, 11th grade, Belmont, NC
• Mountain Landscape, Chloe Acosta, 9th grade, Gastonia, NC
• Oak Island Beach Sunset, Riley Fanis 9th grade, Charlotte, NC
• Guardian of the Egg, Luke Williams, 10th grade, Huntersville, NC
• Will vs. Wire, Aamana Girdhar, 11th grade, Charlotte, NC

Each spring, the Congressional Institute sponsors a nationwide high school visual art competition to recognize and encourage artistic talent in the nation and in each congressional district. Since the Artistic Discovery competition began in 1982, more than 650,000 high school students have participated.

Students submit entries to their representative's office, and panels of district artists select the winning entries. Winners are recognized both in their district and at an annual awards ceremony in Washington, DC.

Read more about the annual Congressional Art Competition HERE.