2012 National Veterans Creative Arts Festival

The National Veterans Creative Arts Festival has officially kicked off in Boston, Massachusetts. The week-long festival uses 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. The competition includes 53 categories in the visual arts division this year that range from oil painting to leatherwork to paint-by-number kits. In addition, there are 120 categories in the performing arts pertaining to all aspects of music, dance, drama and creative writing. A national selection committee chooses first, second and third place winners among all of the entries. Select winners have been invited to attend the Creative Arts Festival in Boston.