Lowell Student Wins Annual Congressional Art Competition

Winner2015_HalleFerreiraCongressman Niki Tsongas would like to congratulate Halle Ferreira of Lowell, winner of the 2015 Congressional Art Competition.

Tsongas hosted an artists’ reception this past weekend at Mill No. 5 in Lowell to announce the winner and runners up of her annual Congressional Art Competition. All of the 50+ submissions to this year’s competition were displayed during the event, which featured a keynote talk from the Chair of the University of Massachusetts-Lowell’s Art Department, Jehanne-Marie Gavarini.

A resident of Lowell and a student at Greater Lowell Technical High School, Halle will have her artwork – a vibrant piece of digital art entitled, “Snow Day” – displayed at the U.S. Capitol building for one year, receive two complimentary airplane tickets to Washington, D.C. to participate in the national ceremony, and will receive an artistic scholarship.

The First Runner Up this year, Taylor Lefebvre of Dracut, was the overall winner of last year’s competition. Other runners up included: Jindi Ren of Marlborough, the Second Runner Up; and Katherine Long of Westford, the Third Runner Up.

The annual Congressional Art Competition is sponsored by members of Congress in their home districts to encourage the artistic talent of high school students. The winners from the Third Congressional District were determined by a nonpartisan panel of artistic, cultural, and community leaders from the area.
Congressman Tsongas released the following statement.

“The Congressional Art Competition has always been a great opportunity to encourage and share the artistic talents of our high school students throughout the Third District, providing them with the opportunity to have their artwork displayed in the U.S. Capitol Building. I especially want to congratulate this year’s winner, Halle Ferreira, in addition to all the runners up and participants in this year’s competition. There truly is a wealth of creative young minds here in the Third District.

“Art plays an important role in the lives of us all. From a young age, art helps us become well-rounded individuals and encourages creative expression. Even during difficult economic times, it is so important that we continue to provide funding for public art and art education. These are all part of the broader ‘creative economy’ that helps spur the kind of innovation and business that make us more competitive in today’s increasingly global economy.”