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National Veterans Creative Arts Festival

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.

Veterans enrolled at the VA Maryland Health Care System are eligible to compete in our local creative arts competition. The competition includes categories in the visual arts division that range from oil painting to leatherwork to paint-by-number kits. In addition, there are categories in writing as well as the performing arts of dance, drama, and music. 

Local creative arts competition top winning entries advance to a national judging process and first, second and third place entries are determined at the national level. First place winning Veterans are invited to attend the National Veterans Creative Arts Festival hosted by a different VA facility each year.

For additional questions and to receive entry paperwork, please contact: 

Kelsey Eisenhauer 
kelsey.eisenhauer@va.gov

Virtual Informational Meeting & Office Hours 

Informational meetings cover basic information about this year’s competition. Office hours will provide a space for additional questions & individual support with entry materials. 

Contact Kelsey Eisenhauer to request access.

Entry Information

Veterans must be enrolled for care in the VA Maryland Health Care System to submit entries in the divisions of Art, Music, Dance, Drama, and Creative Writing. Veterans may submit in multiple divisions. Rules/guidelines regarding eligible entries are available in application packets. For entry paperwork please e-mail Kelsey Eisenhauer and indicate what you are planning to submit an application.

Creative Arts Categories

Music

  1. Vocal Solo Country/Folk/Bluegrass 
  2. Vocal Solo Pop 
  3. Vocal Solo Rock/Blues 
  4. Vocal Group Country/Folk/Bluegrass 
  5. Vocal Group Pop 
  6. Vocal Group Rock/Blues VOCAL SOLO OR GROUP 
  7. Vocal Rap/Hip Hop 
  8. Vocal Classical/World/Ethnic 
  9. Vocal Jazz 
  10. Vocal R&B/Soul/Funk 
  11. Vocal Broadway (stage show tunes not just from movies) 
  12. Vocal Patriotic 
  13. Vocal Spiritual 
  14. Original Vocal (General Topic) 
  15. Original Vocal (Military Experience)
     

In addition to the Vocal Genres, INSTRUMENTAL SOLO and GROUP includes: 

27. Drums/Percussion (to include beat boxing) 
28. Original Instrumental 

BAND CATEGORIES 
29. Band/Ensemble – Country/Folk/Bluegrass/Pop 
30. Band/Ensemble – Jazz/R&B/Soul/Rock/Blues 
31. Special Recognition

Visual Arts

1. Acrylic Painting 
2. Oil Painting 
3. Watercolor 
4. Pastels 
5. Monochromatic Drawing 
6. Colored Drawing 
7. Craft Coloring Kit 
8. Color by Number Kit 
9. Suncatcher or Sand Art Kit 
10. Black & White Photography 
11. Color Photography 
12. Digital Art 
13. Pyrography/Wood Burning 
14. Transfer/Engraving Art Kit 
15. Printmaking 
16. Collage
17. Assemblage 
18. Diorama 
19. Combined Kit 
20. Mixed Media 
21. Sculpture 
22. Pottery 
23. Slip-Cast Ceramics 
24. Stained or Painted Figurines 
25. Figure Painting Kit 
26. Scroll Saw/Fretwork 
27. Carving 
28. Woodworking/Lathe Work 
29. Wood Building Kit 
30. Model Building Kit 
31. Metalwork 
32. Jewelry (not beads) 
33. Beadwork
34. Glasswork 
35. Mosaic 
36. Mosaic Kit 
37. Crochet/Knitting/Knotting 
38. Fiber Arts Original Design 
39. Fiber Arts Pattern 
40. Fiber Arts Kit 
41. Needlework Original Design 
42. Needlework Pattern 
43. Needlework Kit 
44. Leather Kit 
45. Leather Carving/Tooling/Stamping 
46. Physical Health Recovery 
47. Mental Health Recovery 
48. Combat Experience 
49. Group Art

Creative Writing

1. Rhyming Poetry – Military Experience 
2. Rhyming Poetry - Inspirational 
3. Rhyming Poetry – General Topic 
4. Non-Rhyming Poetry – Military Experience 
5. Non-Rhyming Poetry - Inspirational 
6. Non-Rhyming Poetry – General Topic 
7. Short, Short Story – Military Experience 
8. Short, Short Story - Inspirational 
9. Short, Short Story – General Topic 
10. Personal Essay 
11. Short Script 
12. Humor 
13. Special Recognition (individual or group)

Dance and Drama

Dance

  1. Ballroom
  2. Latin Ballroom
  3. Country/Western/Folk/Ethnic/Cultural
  4. Modern/Contemporary
  5. Tap, Jazz or Ballet
  6. Line Dance
  7. Interpretive Movement
  8. Freestyle/Hip-Hop
  9. Novelty
  10. Dance Challenge
  11. Special Recognition

Drama

  1. Dramatic Prose
  2. Patriotic Prose
  3. Inspirational Prose
  4. Comedy Prose
  5. Dramatic Poetry
  6. Patriotic Poetry
  7. Inspirational Poetry
  8. Comedy Poetry
  9. Interpretive Performance – Dramatic
  10. Interpretive Performance – Novelty
  11. Short Video – Military Theme
  12. Short Video – General Theme
  13. Special Recognition

Important Dates (2025)

  • Wednesday, July 9th
    Entry Paperwork Deadline
     
  • Wednesday, July 16th
    Art Drop-off Deadline (all art must be received by this date)
     
  • Tuesday July 29th 
    Performance Recordings Scheduled at Perry Point Theatre
     
  • Wednesday, September 3rd
    Performer Dress Rehearsal (Mandatory for performers)
     
  • Saturday, September 6th
    Veteran Creative Arts Showcase at Maryland State Fair 4H/FFA Home Arts Building
     
  • Wednesday, September 10th 
    Artwork on display at the 3rd Annual Suicide Prevention Walk at Perry Point VA

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