Unleash your creative valor at the Veterans Creative Arts Fest.
The Marion VA is now inviting you to get your creative portfolio, or single pieces ready for submission to the annual Veterans Creative Arts Fest. The event will be held on Friday, August 18th, at Celebrations Event Center in Marion, Illinois. Veterans do not have to be present to participate.
The Veterans Creative Arts Festival is a competition in art, creative writing, dance, drama, and music for Veterans enrolled with the Marion VA Health Care System.
First-place winners advance to the national level of judging and those receiving first in their respective areas are invited to participate at the National Veteran Creative Arts Festival.
Last year, twenty-nine Veterans from all eras showcased their artistic talents and achievements in art, music, and writing competitions. To view the photo album of the visual arts, click here.
The festival opened with musical performances by local Veterans, mixed with live poetry readings and short stories.
While locally, Veterans were awarded first and runner up places, only the first-place national winners are being invited to the National Creative Arts Festival in April.
And that’s where a local Army Veteran from Vienna, Illinois, Joe Stanfill, was able to bring home TWO, first place medals, for the 2022 Veterans Creative Art Fest.
“When I first got the call, I was in disbelief to be honest. I thought I had something nice, but I didn’t think it was nice enough to compete with others that have been creating art for a long time,” shares Joe Stanfill when he was notified about winning.
Joe Stanfill won first place in the Shorty Story Military Experience category, as well as the Digital Art category.
The Marion VA is now inviting you, to get your creative portfolio, or single pieces ready for submission to the annual Veterans Creative Arts Fest.
The event will be held on Friday, August 18th, at Celebrations Event Center in Marion, Illinois. Veterans do not have to be present to participate, you just have to have your submissions turned in by August 17th to Recreation Therapist, Ethan Blumhorst at ethan.blumhorst@va.gov.
For questions about categories and how to make your submissions, please contact Recreation Therapist, Ethan Blumhorst at ethan.blumhorst@va.gov. All submissions must be made by midnight on August 17th. Online submissions are also accepted.
For divisional rules and categories, along with entry and consent forms go to https://www.blogs.va.gov/.../national-veterans-creative.../ or email Ethan Blumhorst for more information.