News

Explore recent news, announcements, and stories from Creative Forces.

Recent news, announcements, and stories

A photo collage of individuals, groups, and families of all ages, from children to older adults, participating in a variety of arts activities.

November 2024|Announcement

Applications Now Open for Grants to Support Arts Projects for Military-Connected Individuals

The National Endowment for the Arts, in partnership with Mid-America Arts Alliance, has released guidelines and application materials for the Creative Forces Community Engagement grant program, part of the Creative Forces®: NEA Military Healing Arts Network. Grants support non-clinical, community-based arts engagement programming for military and veteran populations, including family members and caregivers. Applications are now available on maaa.org/CreativeForces. The deadline to apply is Wednesday, January 15, 2025.

View of many different people's arms and hands coming together from opposite directions. A few smiling faces are visible.

October 2024|Event

Registration Now Open for the “Creative Collaborations: Unlocking the Power of Community Arts Partnerships” Webinar

Join us on Thursday, November 21st, at 1:00 p.m. ET for an in-depth webinar presented by Creative Forces®. This session will spotlight the unique partnerships between community arts organizations, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Department of Defense (DoD) clinics, and national networking organizations, illustrating how these collaborations can enhance an organization’s ability to create meaningful impact for both military-connected individuals and the broader communities they serve.

A white woman with shoulder-length brown hair, wearing glasses, is smiling and seated in an art studio. Colorful art materials and tools are on the table in front of her.

June 2024|Stories

A conversation with Clare Shepherd, Army veteran and glass artist

Clare Shepherd is a retired Army captain who discovered her passion for glass art after spending eight years in the military. Shepherd has found joy in connecting other veterans to art. She is also a teaching artist at Maryland Hall, a 2023 Creative Forces Community Engagement Grantee.

A multi-color tile mosaic with text in the center that says: Give a girl the right shoes and she can conquer the world. In the center of the text is an image of an Army boot and a red high heel in the center. The center image is surrounded by square tiles that depict images from nature, people, and sayings such as "power and equality" and "puppie love."

August 2024|Stories

Uniting veterans through art: COSACOSA’s Community Engagement Grant Project

A 2023 Creative Forces Community Engagement Grant enabled COSACOSA at large to expand its reach, fostering creative expression and social connection for veterans in the Philadelphia area. Serving Justice, the organization’s Creative Forces-supported military arts program, culminated in a veteran-led mosaic project, spoken word album, and poetry chapbook.