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Western New York Veterans Advance to National Creative Arts Competition

Alexandra Brown won First Place Visual Arts: Crocheting/Knitting, Ann Marie Pearson won First Place Visual Arts: Print Making, and Dave Smith and partner Tara Scime won First Place: Ballroom Dance.
Alexandra Brown won First Place Visual Arts: Crocheting/Knitting, Ann Marie Pearson won First Place Visual Arts: Print Making, and Dave Smith and partner Tara Scime won First Place: Ballroom Dance.
By Mark Richardson, Public Affairs Officer

Across the country, VA medical facilities Recreation Therapy programs use creative arts as a form of therapy to help Veterans dealing with physical and emotional disabilities.

Each year, Veterans enrolled at Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)  health care facilities are invited to compete in local creative arts competitions with a chance to advance to the National Veterans Creative Arts Competition

This year, nearly 3,000 Veterans took part in local competitions at 125 VA facilities.  VA Western New York Healthcare System (VAWNYHS) had 60 entries in four divisions: Visual Arts, Creative Writing, Music, and Dance. Most of the entries moved on to compete in the national judging phase with five local Veterans placing on the national level:  

  • First Place: Print Making (Visual Arts): Ann Marie Pearson
  • First Place: Crocheting/Knitting (Visual Arts): Alexandra Brown
  • First Place: Rhyming Poetry-Inspirational (Creative Writing): Alexandra Brown
  • First Place: Ballroom Dance: Dave Smith and partner, Tara Scime
  • Third Place: Black & White Photography (Visual Arts): Cynthia Hunt
  • Third Place: Instrumental Solo Pop (Music): Ed Gadson

First place winners, Ann Marie Pearson, Alexandra Brown, and Dave Smith have been invited to the National Veterans Creative Arts Festival in Denver, CO in May 2024. 

At the festival, co-presented by the VA and the American Legion Auxiliary, Veterans exhibit their artwork, original writings, and perform musical, dance or dramatic selections live on stage. 

VAWNYHS Recreation Therapy facilitates the National Veterans Creative Arts local competition each year in August. If interested in learning more about the competition, contact recreation therapists Mary Frey at 716-862-7259 or Patrick McGowan at 716-862-7376.