Kamlager-Dove Announces Winner of the 2024 Congressional Art Competition
LOS ANGELES, CA – On Saturday, Congresswoman Kamlager-Dove (CA-37) hosted a Congressional Art Competition reception at The Art Room gallery to announce the 2024 winner from California’s 37th District. The Congressional Art Competition is an annual, nationwide art competition for high school students, where one student’s artwork is chosen from each congressional district to be displayed in the U.S. Capitol for one year. The 2024 first place winner from California's 37th District is Ruby Shuler-Loughran for her piece, "Melancholy Woman."
"I came to Congress with the goal of LEADing in the 37th District, which inspires my advocacy on behalf of Angelenos for Land, Economic Justice, Art, and Democracy issues," said Congresswoman Kamlager-Dove. "One of my top priorities is ensuring full federal funding for school arts programs. As demonstrated by the outstanding submissions we received this year, school arts programs are central to helping students connect with cultural identities, political ideas, and common human feelings and experiences. It's an honor to highlight the incredible talent of first-place winner Ruby Shuler-Loughran, our finalists, and all students who submitted on behalf of our district—I urge all our students to keep creating!"
The office received art submissions from over 110 students from schools across the district. The 2024 Congressional Art Competition judges for California's 37th District were:
- James Fauntleroy, Grammy award-winning artist and founder of 1500 Academy;
- Haven Lin-Kirk, Dean of USC Roski School of Art and Design; and
- Warren Brand, Founder of non-profit Branded Arts and on the board of the Mural Conservatory.
The public is invited to view students’ artwork displayed at The Art Room in Downtown Los Angeles until May 18, 2024. Below are the top five winners from California's 37th District:
First place winner: Ruby Shuler-Loughran for "Melancholy Woman."
Second place winner: Kensie Brownson for "LA Woman with Crown."
Third place winner: Morgan Vernette for "Headspace."
Fourth place winner: Kanzi Akiyoshi for "Symbolic Self-Portrait."
Fifth place winner: Stella "Paris" Hsu for "Keep Fighting."
The first place Congressional Art Competition winner will be awarded two round-trip flights to D.C. and an invitation to the opening reception at the U.S. Capitol. Thanks to the community’s generosity, over $3,000 in donated scholarship prizes and two tickets to the UCLA Rose Bowl game in September will be dispersed among the top five winners from California's 37th District.
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