Have you attended a National Creative Arts Festival presentation?

2015-10-04T18:36:17-04:00

If you have a free afternoon on the 18th, may I suggest considering taking in a Broadway stage presentation? The National Creative Arts Festival will be performed in Durham, note below. The event is free and guaranteed to be a tremendous hit. Hollywood producers, music directors, actor's guild and many more in the entertainment industry helps these veterans put on a production that will have you talking for years. I was fortunate to be part of the one we brought to Lancaster, PA while I worked at the VA Coatesville. Phenomenal is an understatement.

Competition Eligibility Criteria
This competition is open to Veterans who are enrolled at a VA Medical Center or Outpatient Clinic BEFORE entering the local competition. An eligible Veteran can enter local competition at only one VA facility per year. He/she can submit an entry in creative writing, dance, drama or music categories with a Veteran or group from another VA facility, but still represents and must go through his/her originating VA facility to enter the competition. This facility should be the site where he/she receives their primary treatment.

2015 National Veterans Creative Arts Festival
Events Open to the Public - Sunday, October 18, 2015
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
114 E. Cameron Avenue
Chapel Hill, NC
Art Exhibit – 12 Noon – 1:45 p.m. – Gerrard Hall
Stage Show - 2:00 p.m. – Memorial Hall

Presented by:
TheDepartment of Veterans Affairs and the American Legion Auxiliary.
The National Veterans Creative Arts Festival (NVCAF) is the celebration and grand finale stage and art show, which are the culmination of talent competitions in art, creative writing, dance, drama and music for Veterans treated in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) national health care system.
Approximately 120 Veterans will exhibit their artwork or perform musical, dance, dramatic or original writing selections in a gala variety show. A professional orchestra will accompany the performance. All Veterans invited to participate are selected winners of year-long, national fine arts talent competitions in which thousands of Veterans enter, from VA medical facilities across the nation.
VA medical facilities incorporate creative arts into their recreation therapy programs to further the rehabilitation milieu 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 after disease, disability or life crisis.

Host:
Durham VA Medical Center
Durham, North Carolina
Contact: Host Site Coordinators: [login to see] and [login to see]

Admission
Free, but tickets are required to the stage show.
To obtain free tickets and for other information,
call [login to see] , ext. 6070.

http://www.va.gov/opa/speceven/caf/index.asp

National Veterans Creative Arts Festival

Nationwide, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical facilities use the creative arts as one form of rehabilitative treatment to help Veterans recover from and cope with physical and emotional disabilities. Across the country each year, Veterans treated at VA facilities compete in a local creative arts competition.

Response by LTC Stephen F. made Oct 4 at 2015 6:41 PM

2015-10-04T18:41:39-04:00

No I have not ever attended a National Creative Arts Festival presentation Sgt Spencer Sikder. I have attended local and regional Creative Arts Festivals in the past though. That being said none of the ones I ever attended were focused on veterans. I hope this particular event benefits many veterans as both performers and as attendees.

Response by SFC Quinn Chastant made Apr 13 at 2018 4:15 PM

2018-04-13T16:15:30-04:00

I participated in my local competition back in March, It was an interesting experience, both fun and just a little intimidating as a first time entrant. That said, I'm hoping to advance to the National Competition for 2018 in Iowa. A few of us took 1st places in different categories in the Music and Dance Competitions.