Bustos Announces Winner and Runners-Up of the 2021 Congressional Art Competition

Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (IL-17) announced the winner and runners-up of the 2021 Congressional Art Competition in Illinois’ 17^th Congressional District. Congresswoman Bustos encouraged the public to vote for their favorite submission to support local student artists.

The first-place winner this year is Riley Jones from Rock Island High School, whose submission “Black Pride” will be displayed in the United States Capitol. The four runners-up are Brianna Benassi from Pekin Community High School, whose artwork will be displayed in Congresswoman Bustos’ Washington, D.C. office; Jessica Martinez from Kewanee High School, whose artwork will be displayed in Bustos’ Rock Island office; Sage Smith from Pekin Community High School, whose artwork will be displayed in Bustos’ Peoria office; and Kortney Kudronowicz from Scales Mound High School, whose artwork will be displayed in Bustos’ Rockford office.

“Every year, I’m impressed by the incredible talent on display during the Congressional Art Competition and look forward to sharing it,” Congresswoman Bustos said. “I’d like to congratulate this year’s winner, Riley Jones, and all of the students who participated in this year’s contest on a job well done. It’s an honor to represent such a creative group in Congress and I hope this competition fueled their passion for the arts – especially during this difficult past year. I look forward to proudly displaying their incredible artwork in each of my offices and seeing Riley’s work in the halls of the Capitol on my way to the House Floor for votes.”

The Congressional Art Competition, first held in 1982, is a nationwide high school art competition sponsored by the U.S. House of Representatives. One winning piece of artwork from each House District will be selected to be displayed in the Cannon Tunnel of the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington for the next year. 

As the winner in Illinois’ 17^th Congressional District, Riley will receive two airline tickets to Washington, D.C to see her artwork displayed in the Capitol. Runners-up will have their artwork displayed in Congresswoman Bustos’ Illinois offices and in her Washington, D.C. office for the next year. High school students from Illinois’ 17^th Congressional District were eligible to submit their original artwork for consideration.

WINNING ARTWORK PHOTOS:

1^st Place – Artwork to be displayed in the United States Capitol:

• “Black Pride” by Riley Jones, Rock Island High School

Runner-up – Artwork to be displayed in Congresswoman Bustos’ D.C. office:

• “Undersea Neighborhood” by Brianna Benassi, Pekin Community High School

Runner-up – Artwork to be displayed in Congresswoman Bustos’ Peoria office:

• “Self Portrait” by Sage Smith, Pekin Community High School

Runner-up – Artwork to be displayed in Congresswoman Bustos’ Rock Island office:

• “We Are America” by Jessica Martinez Kewanee High School

Runner-up – Artwork to be displayed in Congresswoman Bustos’ Rockford office:

• “Dylan O’Brien” by Kortney Kudronowicz, Scales Mound High School

***Report Courtesy of Congresswoman Bustos***