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Creative Arts Festival

Tomah VAMC incorporates the creative arts into their therapy programs to further the rehabilitation goals for both inpatients and outpatients. This annual competition recognizes the progress and recovery made through that therapy and raises the visibility of the creative achievements of our nation’s Veterans. Veterans who are enrolled in Tomah VA Medical Center or its Outpatient Clinics are welcome to enter a max of three categories in each division. The divisions are: Creative Writing Dance Drama Music Visual Arts (Applied Art, Fine Arts, Kits).

This competition is open to Veterans who are eligible to receive care through the Department of Veterans Affairs AND are enrolled at the Tomah VA Medical Center, one of its outpatient clinics, or the Vets Center.

Veterans must work with a staff person from the VA facility where they are enrolled to submit entries into the 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 first-place winners advance to a national judging process, and first-, second- and third-place entries in each category are determined. Selected gold-medal-winning Veterans are invited to attend the National Veterans Creative Arts Festival hosted by a different VA facility each year.

Key Dates to Note

  • Tomah VA competition deadline: Friday, May 30th, 2025.
    • Registration dates and entry drop off times:
    • Where: Building 455 
      • Monday, April 21 8:00 - 10:00 a.m. 
      • Tuesday, April 29 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. 
      • Friday, May 2 8:00 - 10:00 a.m. 
      • Monday, May 19 8:00 - 10:00 a.m. 
      • Tuesday, May 27 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. 
      • Friday, May 30 8:00 - 10:00 a.m.
  • Entries must have been completed/recorded after Oct. 1, 2024
  • By Oct. 1, 2025, VA co-chairs will send their top three finalists in each category to the national level of the competition.
  • National competition winners will be judged and announced in January 2026.
  • National placements on this website www.creativeartsfestival.va.gov for the results which will be posted in February 2026.

Come Vote for People’s Choice award!

Public viewing in Building 401, room 1120

Thursday, June 12         9:00am-3:30 pm

Friday, June 13               9:00am-3:30 pm

Sunday, June 15            12:00-4:00 pm

Monday, June 16            9:00am-3:30 pm

Tuesday, June 17           9:00am-3:30 pm

Wednesday, Jun 18      9:00am-3:30 pm

2025 Performing Arts Show

Monday, June 16 at 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

Sunday, June 15th- open practice available on stage from 1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. for those participating if they want extra practice. 

Open to the public

Rules and Entry Forms

Veterans can participate in multiple divisions. You may only enter 1 item per category with a max of 3 entries in each division.

Click on the links below to download the rules  and category information for the 2025 Creative Arts Competition:

Submit Art Division artwork and entry forms to:

Brittany Kelly, CTRS-SG, CDP
Tomah  VA Medical Center
500 E. Veterans Street
1-

Deadline: May 30

Submit Music, Creative Writing, Drama and Dance Divisions content and entry forms to:       

Bethany Riedel, MT-BC
Tomah  VA Medical Center
500 E. Veterans Street
or 1-

Deadline: May 31

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