Ireland Cates of Bloomingdale High School in Valrico Named 1st Place Winner
BRADENTON, FL – Today, Congressman Vern Buchanan announced the winners of the 2026 Congressional Art Competition, a district-wide showcase for high school-aged artists. This year, 31 entries were submitted from across the district.
The first-place winner is Ireland Cates, a sophomore at Bloomingdale High School in Valrico. Her artwork, “The Capitol,” will be displayed in Washington, D.C., for one year in the highly traveled corridor between the U.S. Capitol and the Cannon House Office Building.
Second place was awarded to Olivia Fields from Riverview High School in Riverview, with her piece “Production, Consumerism, Stars, and Stripes,” and third place goes to Madelyn Bowers’ “Repetition” from Bloomingdale High School in Valrico.
“I’m incredibly impressed by the talent and creativity showcased by the students who participated in this year’s Congressional Art Competition,” said Buchanan. “Each submission reflected remarkable skill, originality and hard work. Florida’s 16th District is home to so many gifted young artists, and I’m proud to celebrate their achievements.”
An additional component of the annual art competition includes the “Facebook Fan Favorite” Awards. The winning pieces in this category are displayed in the congressman’s offices in D.C., Bradenton and Brandon. The winners are Malik Dante Walker from Sumner High School with “Jammin’ Under the Sun,” Maya Ramos from Parrish Community High School with “Justice for All” and Adam Nuykin from Sumner High School with “Make a Splash.”
The judging panel included several officials from State College of Florida-Manatee-Sarasota, including: Brenda Harrison, Assistant Professor, Graphic Design/Art Design; Jamie Smith, Associate V.P. Government Relations, Public Information Officer/President’s Office; and Jamie Tracy, Associate Vice President, Academic and Faculty Affairs/Provost and Academic Affairs Office.
More information on the Congressional Art Competition can be found here.
Photos of this year’s winning pieces can be seen here.
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