Congressman Ryan Celebrates NY-18 Art Winner

WASHINGTON, DC – Last week, Congressman Pat Ryan celebrated NY-18’s winner of the 2024 Congressional Art Competition at an award ceremony in the Capitol. Tabitha Koren from Poughkeepsie, a rising-senior at Spackenkill High School won for her graphite and acrylic painting titled, “Monkey the Man.” As the NY-18 winner, Koren attended the Congressional Art Competition Awards Ceremony held Thursday, June 27, at the U.S. Capitol Building. Koren’s artwork will be displayed at the Capitol for the next year.

“The Hudson Valley is home to immense artistic talent and a rich history in the arts,” said Congressman Pat Ryan. “I’m proud that Tabitha’s artwork will be displayed in the Capitol for the next year so visitors from around the world can see that the arts are alive and thriving in the Hudson Valley. And I can’t wait to see a piece of the Hudson Valley, the Vassar campus depicted in her artwork, each day as I walk through the hallway on my way to vote. Congratulations Tabitha!”

Tabitha Koren’s artwork was chosen as NY-18’s winning artwork by Arts Mid Hudson. Her piece “Monkey the Man” was inspired by her experiences of her father pushing her in her stroller across the Vassar College campus as a toddler.

The Congressional Art Competition is held annually each spring. Over 650,000 high school students have participated in the competition since its inception in 1982. Each congressional district is allowed one winning artwork that is then displayed at the Capitol for the following year. Winning artists are invited to the annual Congressional Art Competition Awards Ceremony held at the Capitol.

High school artists from across NY-18 are invited to begin preparing their artwork to enter in the 2025 Congressional Art Competition. The window to submit artwork for the 2025 competition will open early in the spring of 2025.