Spring Creative Arts Classes Offered for Veterans Through Orlando VA Partnership with Dr. Phillips Center

These creative arts classes provide Veterans with opportunities to connect, express themselves, and support their overall well-being through music, movement, and storytelling. Designed to promote whole health, the workshops foster community, reduce stress, and create a welcoming environment where Veterans of all experience levels can explore creativity as part of their wellness journey. 

Workshops Offered at Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts: 

• Drumming Circle – Wednesdays, 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. 

• Choir – Wednesdays, 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Round-trip shuttle transportation will be provided from the Lake Baldwin VA Clinic to the Dr. Phillips Center. Veterans may either drive to the Lake Baldwin VA Clinic to access the shuttle or drive directly to the Dr. Phillips Center and be reimbursed for parking expenses. Parking is available in the Orange County Administration Garage adjacent to the Orange County Tax Collector’s Office. 

Workshops Offered at SimVET 
Orlando VA Medical Center - SimVet Building
Location: 2nd Floor, Room 2A-205 

• Drumming Circle – Mondays, 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. 

• Improv Theater – Tuesdays, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. 

• Spoken Word Poetry– Thursdays, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. 

Important Information: 

• Class sizes are limited. 

• Interested Veterans must complete the registration form here. 

• All workshops are provided at no cost to Veterans. 

“This partnership reflects our continued commitment to whole health by offering Veterans meaningful opportunities to support their well-being through creative expression,” said Timothy J. Cooke, Director and CEO of the Orlando VA Healthcare System. “The arts provide a unique space for connection and healing, and we are proud to continue this collaboration with the Dr. Phillips Center.” 

The partnership aligns with the Dr. Phillips Center’s broader mission of community engagement and access to the arts.

“This collaboration embodies our Arts For Every Life® vision by using creativity to inspire and uplift those who have served our nation,” said Rachel Moalli, Senior Director of Corporate Affairs and Community Engagement at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. “Working alongside the Orlando VA team has been incredibly meaningful. Their compassion and dedication to Veterans has helped us build a program that creates a safe, welcoming space to connect, explore, and heal through the arts.” 

Moalli encourages Veterans who may be unsure about participating to take the first step. “No prior experience is required,” she added. “Whether someone is brand new to the arts or has a creative background, all it takes is an open mind. These classes offer a supportive environment where Veterans can discover new ways to express themselves and connect with others.” 

This program is funded by the Hatalom Corporation, Pabst Steinmetz Foundation, VyStar Foundation, and the Winifred Johnson Clive Foundation through the official partnership between the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts and the Orlando VA Healthcare System. 

Media representatives interested in attending or coordinating media engagements are encouraged to contact the Office of Public Affairs at vhaorlpublicaffairs@va.gov or by calling . 

For more information, visit VA Orlando Health Care | Veterans Affairs, subscribe to email updates, or follow Orlando VA Healthcare System on Facebook, Instagram, and X at @OVAHCS. 

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Established in October 2006, the Orlando VA Healthcare System (VAHCS) was designated a 1a facility (most complex) in 2021, with more than 5,660 employees and an annual budget of $1.5B and serves more than 149,931 Veterans in Central Florida. The Orlando VA Medical Center at Lake Nona provides outpatient, inpatient, and emergency services. Lake Nona’s 65-acre medical campus encompasses 159 acute inpatient beds, providing complex Medical/Surgical/Mental Health specialty care, advanced diagnostic services, and a large multispecialty outpatient clinic, as well as a 120-bed Community Living Center, two Mental Health Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Programs/Domiciliaries (60-beds located at the Lake Nona Campus and 56 beds at the Lake Baldwin Campus). Outpatient services are provided at a Health Care Center in Viera, a Multispecialty Community-Based Outpatient Clinic in Daytona Beach, and five Community-Based Outpatient Clinics located in Clermont, Lake Baldwin, Kissimmee, Deltona, Palm Bay and Tavares