Congressman Valadao announced the winner of the 2025 Congressional Art Competition for high school students in California’s 22nd Congressional District. The announcement was made on May 9, 2025.
“Congratulations to Lauren Newkirk of East Bakersfield High School on her winning entry, and thank you to all the talented students throughout California’s 22nd Congressional District who submitted their art,” said Congressman Valadao. “Lauren’s impressive depiction of the Fox Theater is a great representation of our region’s character, and I look forward to seeing it every time I walk through the Capitol.”
Lauren Newkirk’s artwork, titled “Free Tickets,” is a painting of Fox Theater in downtown Bakersfield. The piece uses single point perspective to focus attention on an asymmetrically balanced composition. She used her personal photograph taken during an evening concert as a reference for her work.
The winning piece will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol along with other entries from congressional districts nationwide for one year. Additionally, the winner will be invited to Washington, D.C., to attend a reception sponsored by the Congressional Institute, which organizes the annual competition.
