U.S. Representative Rick Crawford (AR-1) will host a Town Hall Awards Reception Friday, April 18, naming the winners of the 2014 House Art Competition within Arkansas’ First Congressional District.

The event, taking place at the Stan Jones Mallard Lodge in Lawrence County, begins at 5:30 p.m. and is open to the public.

Congressman Crawford will serve as a contest judge and also announce this year’s winners. He said art submission have come from across the First District, including Marvell High School, Newport High School, Valley View High School in Jonesboro, and Walnut Ridge High School.

“We have some incredibly talented budding artists within our District,” Crawford said. “This art competition showcases these young, creative minds, and our banquet will spotlight and honor their achievements.”

The annual House Art Competitions — open to all First District high school students — accept collages, computer-generated art, drawings, mixed media, paintings, photographs, and prints. Each year’s first-place artwork hangs in the Cannon House Office Building tunnel leading to the U.S. Capitol for one year. In addition, the piece receives automatic entry into the national competition, and its artist receives paid airfare to attend the national reception in Washington D.C. during June. The second, third, and fourth place winners have their artwork hanging in Crawford’s District offices, located in Jonesboro, Cabot, and Mountain Home.

Crawford said he enjoys seeing each year’s winning artwork whether he’s in Washington D.C. or at home.

“These pieces remind me daily what our young people can do and why we should do whatever we can to foster these talents,” Crawford said. “Our art submissions always give me a taste of home, especially when I’m in Washington. My favorite part of walking to the House floor is passing the sea of artwork in the tunnel and finding the piece that came from our District. And I can say, ‘That’s ours.’”

This year’s public Town Hall Awards Reception encourages participating students to invite both parents and teachers to the Stan Jones Mallard Lodge, located at 1157 Lawrence Road 547 near Alicia.