Nationwide, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical facilities use the creative arts as one form of rehabilitative treatment to help Veterans recover from and cope with physical and emotional disabilities. Across the country each year, Veterans treated at VA medical centers compete in local creative arts contests. This competition includes 53 art categories, ranging from oil painting to leatherwork to paint-by-number kits. In addition, there are 120 categories pertaining to all aspects of music, dance, drama and creative writing. The creative writing division is a more recent addition to the competition and includes original works in poetry, essay, short story, and personal experience writing.
VA Western New York Healthcare System’s Buffalo site, 3495 Bailey Avenue, will host a winter Veterans Creative Arts Festival on Thursday, February 20 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Freedom Hall (Room 301). Veterans who would like to participate have until February 10 to submit their artwork to the Recreation Therapy department. The public is invited to attend the local festival and enjoy a wide variety of creative art forms displayed by local Veterans, including poetry, music and art.
Local winning entries will be submitted to the national selection committee which chooses first, second and third place winners among all of the entries. Select winners will be invited to attend the 2014 National Veterans Creative Arts Festival from October 27 to November 2 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, hosted by Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center. Approximately 120 Veterans will exhibit their artwork or perform musical, dance, dramatic or original writing selections in a gala variety show.
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