Phoenix VA Hosts its Largest Creative Arts Festival

The 19th annual Creative Arts festival featured original artwork created by Veterans, including fine arts, applied arts, creative writing, and music. This year, 75 Veterans participated in the show, with a total of 145 art submissions, an increase in 51 submissions from last year. In addition, this year’s Creative Arts Festival included live musical performances and dance led by Veterans.

“This is so important. For not only [Veterans’] therapy, because that’s a huge part of it, but also in honing their skills in their arts for physical manipulation, physical therapy,” said Michael Welsh, Phoenix VA medical center director.

“It's a great physical skill set, but then when [Veterans] gets to release emotion as well through art, it’s so powerful and I love this because it does both of those things for our Veterans, and they feel pride in their work, and they're attached to that work. It's so important.”

Veterans’ submissions were judged by volunteers from Arizona State University’s School of Art along with Veteran, American Legion Auxiliary member, and artist Dana Ramsey and then given a first, second, or third place ribbon in their various categories. From there, Veterans enrolled with the Phoenix VA have a chance to participate in the national Creative Arts Festival competition competing with Veterans from VA medical facilities across the nation.

U.S. Air Force Veteran Pamela Lynn said, “This is the best show they've had. The artwork has got much more variety in creativity, and the pieces are so amazingly unique, and it's just stunning to see what people come up with. I just absolutely love it. It's a wonderful show and I was thrilled to have won something. That was very exciting.”

This year, special awards given during Phoenix VA’s local official ceremony included recognition of the 2024 third place National VA Creative Arts winner John Fontana for his diorama titled, “Available Most Months” and 2025 Best of Show winner Feliciano Fortuna, a hundred-year-old Vietnam Veteran for his combat experience painting titled, “Destroyer of Valor.”

U.S. Navy Veteran and last year’s third place National VA Creative Arts winner John Fontana said, “The importance of this today is that it puts the Phoenix VA on a national scale. We’ve not ever done that before so this breaks the ice, and I'm hoping that this year and the following years we will have more input and more influence on the national level and [by me winning nationally,] it puts the Phoenix VA on the map because we have a lot of great artists here in Arizona that can participate and enjoy the camaraderie of the other Veterans.” It's very important that we get the word out about the Creative Arts Festival. 

The Phoenix VA creative arts therapy and whole health music ensemble also played quite a few songs while people viewed artwork pieces. “We rehearse every Tuesday at 3 p.m. and it's a great opportunity for Veterans to work together in a music ensemble,” said Kristin Fray, Phoenix VA creative arts therapist and Veterans Creative Arts Festival Co-Chair.  

For Veterans interested in getting involved with creative arts, “Veterans have access to free art lessons at the Arizona Art Alliance in Mesa, Cave Creek, Surprise, and Phoenix,” said Fontana.  

To participate in 2026 Phoenix VA Creative Arts Festival, contact 480-524-5036; registration is April 13 – April 24, 2026.