NVCAF at HOME will provide the 2020 National Veterans Creative Arts competition gold-medal-winning Veterans an opportunity to receive recognition for their creative accomplishments.  The week will consist of virtual workshops as well as interaction and educational sessions.  Some of the virtual sessions will be open to the general public for viewing.  Participant registration information and schedule will be forthcoming.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the American Legion Auxiliary look forward to congratulating the 2020 gold-medal-winning Veterans and supporting them throughout the week.

Ways to connect:

• Join the National Veterans Creative Arts Festival at HOME Opening
  Monday, November 30, 6 p.m. ET/ 3 p.m. PT
• Follow us on social media @Sports4Vets (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) using #NVCAFatHome

Co-presented by the Department of Veterans Affairs and the American Legion Auxiliary, the National Veterans Creative Arts Festival (NVCAF) is 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. Veterans exhibit their artwork and original writings or perform musical, dance, or dramatic selections in a live stage show 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 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.

The Competition

Across the country each year, Veterans enrolled at VA health care facilities compete in a local creative arts 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 winning entries 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.

VA Facility Participation

Be sure to check with your VA facility as early as November in order to meet their deadline date for submission of entries into the local competition. For information regarding entering the 2021 competition, please reach out to the recreation/creative arts therapy staff at the VA facility in which you are enrolled.

If you need assistance in identifying a VA staff person from your facility or to request a 2021 competition handbook, please email Amy Kimbler at Amy.Kimbler@va.gov. The 2021 National Veterans Creative Arts competition rules and categories will be ready for distribution in November.

This competition is open to Veterans who are eligible to receive care through the Department of Veterans Affairs AND are enrolled at a VA Medical Center, Outpatient Clinic, or Vets Center BEFORE entering the local competition. An eligible Veteran can enter the 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 work through his/her originating facility to enter the competition. This facility should be the site where he/she receives their primary treatment.