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Creative Healing: National Veterans Arts Festival Fosters Recovery and Rehabilitation

Navy Veteran Steve Kost won the 2022 VA Creative Arts Festival national metalwork category for his sculpture, titled Achilles Heel. Kost is a patient at Hines VA Hospital. He discovered sculpting six years ago, finding tranquility in dismantling typewriters and repurposing them into art.
Navy Veteran Steve Kost won the 2022 VA Creative Arts Festival national metalwork category for his sculpture, titled Achilles Heel. Kost is a patient at Hines VA Hospital. He discovered sculpting six years ago, finding tranquility in dismantling typewriters and repurposing them into art.
By Jacob Lopez, Public Affairs Volunteer

The 42nd National Veterans Creative Arts Festival, a beacon of hope and rehabilitation, witnessed the triumph of three Veterans from the Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital.

The festival, held in St. Louis from April 10-17, was the grand finale to a series of local competitions held at VA medical facilities nationwide.

This annual event, a cornerstone initiative of the Department of Veterans Affairs, invites Veterans to compete and connect through the universal languages of art, music, dance, drama, and creative writing. With the festival as the stage, the national winners were given the opportunity to perform or exhibit their award-winning pieces.

Hines Hospital's Veterans notably seized first place in Metalwork and Vocal Broadway, in addition to an honorable mention for the Therapeutic Arts Scholarship, as per the festival committee's report.

Among the distinguished winners from Hines was Angela Walker, who secured the National Vocal Broadway category title. Before enlisting in the Navy, Walker was a professional singer. However, her voice was silenced by a throat infection. Upon leaving the military and partially recovering her voice, Walker was encouraged to use singing as a therapeutic tool for PTSD by her recreation therapist at Hines VA.

"I have always counted myself blessed that someone would lend their ear to my song," Walker reflected. "Submitting that entry and winning – I was both humbled and surprised. It was an enriching experience."

Walker attributed her revived self-confidence to the competition. "The VA's support for the creative arts has significantly aided my healing process, both for my unseen and seen wounds," she said.

Also highlighting the festival was 88-year-old Air Force Veteran Jim Woodard, the oldest national winner this year. Woodard, who clinched first place in the Solo Vocal Spiritual category at Hines, was awarded the Therapeutic Arts Scholarship, enabling him to participate in the festival's chorus.

"Music, to me, has always been a form of therapy," the octogenarian shared. "My aim is to refine my skills as much as possible with the time I have left."

Navy Veteran Steve Kost, the National Metalwork winner, resonates with this sentiment. His piece, "Achilles Heel," a vision of a mechanical prosthetic in motion, was featured at the festival. He discovered sculpting six years ago, finding tranquility in dismantling typewriters and repurposing them into art.

"No matter your chosen pastime or artistic endeavor," Kost said. "Immerse yourself in it. Live in the moment, calm your mind, and revel in the joy of creative expression."  

The 43rd National Veterans Creative Arts Festival is slated for Spring 2024 in Denver. National competition results will be unveiled in December 2023. Veterans interested in participating can reach out to the Hines Creative Arts Festival Program Line: (708)-202-5673 for further details.