Creative Forces®: NEA Military Healing Arts Network works to improve the health, well-being, and quality of life for military and veteran populations exposed to trauma, as well as their families and caregivers. Read more about us.

2024 Grant Projects


In partnership with (External link)Mid-America Arts Alliance, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is pleased to announce the third round of Creative Forces Community Engagement grants recipients, with support for 41 community-based organizations totaling $769,136 for projects beginning on or after July 1, 2024. These community-based arts projects will address the distinct experiences, challenges, and strengths of military-connected individuals through the arts. The grant program, now in its third year, continues to expand the work of arts engagement into more communities nationwide.

Each grant project includes at least two organizations or individual artists that are partnering to accomplish the goals of the project. Matching grants are awarded in two tiers, “emerging” and “advanced,” which reflect the capacity of the project at the time of the application. Grant recipients can work in healthcare, community, or virtual settings.

Learn more about the 2024 grantees and their projects below. 

A black man is seated in an art studio facing a painting canvas of a landscape. He is holding his a paintbrush up to the canvas. There is acyrlic paints and other art materials on the table beside him.
A veteran paints during an acrylic landscape painting intensive led by teaching artist Stanley Rayfield at Visual Arts Center of Richmond (VisArts) in Virginia. A 2024 NEA Creative Forces Community Engagement Grant will support the Veterans at VisArts project, which will engage veterans and active-duty military personnel in multi-week arts classes in art forms such as memoir writing, woodworking, stained glass, and fibers. Photo courtesy of Visual Arts Center of Richmond
Profile view of a white woman who is pregnant standing and facing a microphone with her arms outstretched. In front of her, there is a bar table with a drink and a desk light on it.
Danielle Baldino, USN, Lt., in performance at the VAMP Storytelling Showcase in 2023 hosted by So Say We All. A 2024 NEA Creative Forces Community Engagement Grant will support So Say We All’s Veteran Writers Division which offers free creative writing workshops to active-duty service members, veterans, military-connected family members, and foreign-national interpreters in San Diego and Los Angeles. Photo by Matthew Getz
A group of adults stand on stage on choir risers. The adults in the front are wearing black polo shirts, and the adults in the back are wearing formal black Army uniforms. There is a view of part of a black grand piano in the front right of the stage, and there is an American flag on display in the back left of the stage.
The Seattle Opera Veterans Choir performs with the U.S. Army Soldier’s Chorus in 2023. A 2024 NEA Creative Forces Community Engagement Grant will support the development of a new, collaboratively written piece for Seattle Opera’s Veterans Choir in collaboration with the Soldiers’ Chorus of the U.S. Army Field Band. Photo courtesy of the U.S. Army Field Band

2024 Grant Projects

Grant project descriptions

Birmingham, Alabama

InToto Creative Arts

InToto Arts Programming at the Birmingham VA

InToto Creative Arts, in partnership with Birmingham VA Health Care System, will present multidisciplinary arts programming for veterans of the Birmingham VA’s Psychosocial Rehabilitation & Recovery Center and Blind Rehabilitation programs. Through a trauma-informed approach, InToto will facilitate expression, connection, and healing through community arts classes with activities that include creative movement, theater, creative writing, visual art, and music. InToto aims to use the power of the arts to encourage creative expression, community, and healing in participants.
(External link) InToto Creative Arts
Partner Organization:
Birmingham VA Healthcare System
(External link) va.gov/birmingham-health-care
Grant Amount and Tier:
$10,000, Emerging
Grant Period:
2024-2025
Anchorage, Alaska

Anchorage Concert Association

Community Café Year 2: The Healing Power of the Arts

Anchorage Concert Association, together with community partners, will continue and expand upon a series of Community Café monthly events that bring together local artists, military veterans, and active-duty service members experiencing symptoms of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and/or post-traumatic stress disorder PTSD, as well as their families and caregivers. These events will allow participants to explore healing through songwriting and music performance. The expanded program will include poetry, spoken word, visual art, and various other art forms based on the participants’ areas of interest. The project aims to expose participants to community arts opportunities they can continue to engage with after they leave the military.
(External link) Anchorage Concert Association
Partner Organization:
Grant Amount and Tier:
$12,020, Advanced
Grant Period:
2024-2025
Encinitas, California

Blue Star Families

Caregivers at the Museum: Women cultivating care through the arts in Jacksonville

Blue Star Families, in partnership with the Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville (MOCA Jacksonville), will present Caregivers at the Museum, a transformative program designed to serve military caregivers. This project seeks to connect Blue Star Family members who are caregivers with artists and unique art-making opportunities at MOCA Jacksonville. The museum’s gallery and classroom spaces will allow caregivers to connect with each other and create works of art with local artists and artisans.
(External link) Blue Star Families
Partner Organization:
The Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville, Inc.
(External link) mocajacksonville.unf.edu/
Grant Amount and Tier:
$3,140, Emerging
Grant Period:
2024-2025
San Diego, California

So Say We All

Veterans Writers Division

So Say We All’s Veteran Writers Division, in partnership with Mockingbird Improv Theater, will offer free creative writing workshops to active-duty service members, veterans, military-connected family members, and foreign-national interpreters in San Diego and Los Angeles. By helping military-connected communities craft their true stories and share them with the public through staged performances, So Say We All believes the perceived civilian/military divide can be bridged, and participants can discover new value in their lived experience. During the program, participants will share their personal histories, build skills in creative writing and story development, and workshop their pieces together as a team before taking the stage together in a public storytelling showcase.
(External link) So Say We All
Partner Organization:
Grant Amount and Tier:
$15,000, Advanced
Grant Period:
2024-2025
Denver, Colorado

Colorado Photographic Arts Center

2024 Veterans Workshop Series

Colorado Photographic Arts Center, in partnership with the Veterans Arts Council at VFW Post 1 in Denver, will present the Veterans Workshop Series. The program is a free, six-month experience that provides veterans in Colorado with instruction and resources to develop a professional photography practice. Through workshops, mentoring, and critique events, veterans create a series of photographs that tell a personal story. The program culminates in a public exhibition at the Colorado Photographic Arts Center and a published exhibition catalog. Launched in 2017, the program has helped more than 60 veterans express their ideas through photography, connect with other veterans and Denver’s broader arts community, and exhibit, publish, and sell their work at a professional level.
(External link) Colorado Photographic Arts Center, inc
Partner Organization:
Grant Amount and Tier:
$10,000, Advanced
Grant Period:
2024-2026
Farmington, Connecticut

Mental Health Connecticut

Art of Wellbeing for Veterans and Their Families

Mental Health Connecticut (MHC), in partnership with Homes for the Brave, will present the Art of Wellbeing for Veterans and Their Families. Art of Wellbeing is an evidence-based and award-winning program that weaves together introductions to both art and mental health. The project will provide two, eight-week trauma-informed workshops to veterans and their families at the Homes for the Brave Annex in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Over the course of the workshop, individuals will draw, write, explore movement and dance, drum, and paint. Individuals will find healing as they explore how creative expression leads to good health and how the act of being well is a form of art in itself.
(External link) Mental Health Connecticut
Partner Organization:
Grant Amount and Tier:
$6,900, Emerging
Grant Period:
2024-2025
Wilmington, Delaware

Delaware Art Museum

Delaware Art Museum’s Healing Through the Arts for Military Veterans and Families

The Delaware Art Museum, in partnership with the Wilmington Vet Center and Mariposa Arts, will adapt and expand its Healing Through the Arts program to serve more active-duty military members, veterans, and their families throughout Delaware during the grant period. Using expert, trauma-informed instructors trained in a variety of art forms, such as art journaling, meditative sound and movement, drumming, Zentangle, and more, the Museum will offer service members – past and present – and their loved ones the opportunity to use art to create meaningful healing opportunities.
(External link) Delaware Art Museum
Partner Organization:
Mariposa Arts
(External link) mariposaarts.com/
Grant Amount and Tier:
$25,000, Emerging
Grant Period:
2024-2025
Washington, District of Columbia

Arena Stage

Voices of Now Military Ensemble 2024/25

Arena Stage, in partnership with The Boeing Company, will present the Voices of Now (VON) program, creating an ensemble of military family members ages 14 and up. VON is a year-long, after-school program that utilizes creative writing, group discussion, collaboration, and movement to devise autobiographical theater pieces with ensembles composed of middle-school, high-school, and adult artists. The program aims to offer rehabilitation and recovery support to address the unique needs of this military-connected community. Originally created to work with one local middle school in Arena’s neighborhood, Jefferson Academy, the program has expanded to serve hundreds of students and adult artists in the DC area and beyond.
(External link) Arena Stage
Partner Organization:
Grant Amount and Tier:
$18,000, Advanced
Grant Period:
2024-2025
Marion, Illinois

Vets in the Arts

Original Musical Production of “Standard Issue: One Each”

Vets in the Arts, in partnership with the Marion Cultural and Civic Center, will present the Original Musical Production of “Standard Issue: One Each.” The production will feature veterans as writers, actors, singers, and backstage crew. Activities during the grant period will include six months of musical theater education, physical and performance training, and set/costume design instruction with professional theater mentors leading the cast and crew. The musical production process will encourage veterans to participate in the robust arts community as well and entice veterans to be a part of the audience. The musical will culminate with three on-stage performances before starting the process of licensing it to other communities to support veterans in the arts.
(External link) Vets in the Arts
Partner Organization:
Marion Cultural and Civic Center
(External link) marionccc.com/
Grant Amount and Tier:
$25,000, Advanced
Grant Period:
2024-2025
Riverwoods, Illinois

Brushwood Center

At Ease: Art and Nature for Veterans and the Military Community

Brushwood Center’s At Ease: Art and Nature for Veterans and the Military Community empowers the well-being of military veterans and military personnel through nature-based art, music, and photography workshops. The program will be presented in partnership with local veteran organizations, the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center, natural area sites, and teaching artists and musicians. At Ease is the only program in the region offering a nature-based approach to building skills in creative expression while providing veterans with access to mental health support.
(External link) Brushwood Center
Partner Organization:
Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center
(External link) www.va.gov/lovell-federal-health-care-va
Special Recreation Association of Central Lake County
(External link) sraclc.org/
Art Impact Project
(External link) www.artimpactproject.org
Grant Amount and Tier:
$50,000, Advanced
Grant Period:
2024-2026
Evanston, Illinois

Open Studio Project, Inc.

Art & Wellness for Women Veterans

Open Studio Project, Inc., in partnership with the Evanston Vet Center, will present Art & Wellness, a series of therapeutic art workshops specifically for women veterans. Art therapists and facilitators will guide participants through the Open Studio process, an approach that includes mindfulness practices (intention setting), uninhibited creativity (open-ended art making), reflective writing (journaling), and sharing with others. Art & Wellness will take place in a safe, supportive group setting, free of comment or critique. The Open Studio process is designed for participants of any ability to experience the healing power of art, by accessing their own creativity, learning tools for self-care, and building a sense of community with fellow veterans.
(External link) Open Studio Project, Inc.
Partner Organization:
Grant Amount and Tier:
$10,000, Emerging
Grant Period:
2024-2025
Indianapolis, Indiana

Indy Arts Center

ArtTroop

Indy Art Center, in partnership with Armed Services Arts Partnership, will expand the ArtTroop Program to provide additional no-cost art education classes and workshops to veterans, military service members, spouses, family members, and caregivers on a semester basis. ArtTroop is a free 10-month visual art program designed to empower military veterans and service members through creativity and self-expression. The program will culminate with a professional exhibition that is on display during the annual Veterans Art Day. ArtTroop strives to create an empowering, artistic space conducive to artmaking and emotional healing, supporting participants in navigating life within or beyond service, developing coping skills to manage emotions that are often difficult to articulate, or finding a community of support and commonality.
(External link) Indy Art Center
Partner Organization:
Armed Services Arts Partnership
(External link) asapasap.org/
Grant Amount and Tier:
$25,000, Advanced
Grant Period:
2024-2025
Manhattan, Kansas

Manhattan Arts Center

MHK Military Arts Connections

Manhattan Arts Center, in partnership with the Greater Manhattan Community Foundation, will present MHK Military Arts Connections. The program will bring together active-duty and retired military service members for weekly arts opportunities led by local veteran artists. MHK Military Arts Connections seeks to provide a safe space for participants to connect with other military peers and veterans for healing and peer support through the arts and artistic expression.
(External link) Manhattan Arts Center
Partner Organization:
Greater Manhattan Community Foundation
(External link) www.mcfks.org/
Grant Amount and Tier:
$4,970.62, Emerging
Grant Period:
2024-2025
Baltimore, Maryland

Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Inc.

The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and Walter Reed National Military Medical Center Creative Forces Project

The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) and Walter Reed National Military Medical Center Creative Forces Project seeks to foster peer connections with veterans and veteran caregivers through the power of music. In partnership with Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, BSO will provide tickets to performances/events at the Music Center at Strathmore, scholarships for adult amateur musicians to join in BSO’s professional development program BSO Academy, and chamber ensemble performances at Walter Reed (including a program curated for young listeners) for those who are receiving treatment.
(External link) Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Inc.
Partner Organization:
Grant Amount and Tier:
$10,000, Emerging
Grant Period:
2024-2025
Mt. Sterling, Kentucky

Gateway Regional Arts Center

Creative Freedom: A Veterans Arts Initiative in Eastern Kentucky

Gateway Regional Arts Center, in partnership with American Legion Post #22, will present Creative Freedom: A Veterans Arts Initiative in Eastern Kentucky. The program will offer free therapeutic arts activities to military personnel, veterans, their families, and caregivers. Creative Freedom will help build stronger communities, promote healing, and provide a positive and supportive outlet through classes in Appalachian traditional art forms such as folk art, Bluegrass music, poetry, storytelling, and dancing. The program will create a bond between local and regional veterans and their families based on creative interests, sparking further connections outside of the program.
(External link) Gateway Regional Arts Center
Partner Organization:
Grant Amount and Tier:
$10,000, Emerging
Grant Period:
2024-2025
Rockville, Maryland

Community Building Art Works

Mission Belonging

Community Building Art Works, in partnership with Strathmore Hall Foundation, will present Mission Belonging. The program will bring together military, veteran, and military-connected participants to experience self-discovery and expression through poetry and visual art in a safe community space. Through recurring workshops, participants will make connections and build a community that counteracts loneliness and social isolation. A culminating celebration and public performance will allow veterans, military, and military families/caregivers to find their voices and experience the power of being witnessed.
(External link) Community Building Art Works
Partner Organization:
The Strathmore Hall Foundation
(External link) www.strathmore.org/
Cohen Veterans Network, Inc.
(External link) www.easterseals.com/DCMDVA/programs-and-services/cvn-home.html
Blue Star Families, Inc.
(External link) bluestarfam.org/chapters/ncr/
Grant Amount and Tier:
$50,000, Advanced
Grant Period:
2024-2026
Omaha, Nebraska

Circle Theatre

Enchanted Threads: Empowering Through Inclusive Theatre

Circle Theatre, in partnership with the 55th Force Support Squadron, will present Enchanted Threads: Empowering Through Inclusive Theatre. Participants in the program will design, create, and build costumes for the Spring 2025 production of “The Wizard of Oz: Youth Edition.” This project will include a series of workshops to introduce basic elements of costume design, puppetry, and storytelling. Participants will be invited to the final production to see their costume creations come to life on the actors. The project will support the development of skills in creative expression and build social connectedness among the participants.
(External link) Circle Theatre
Partner Organization:
Grant Amount and Tier:
$5,000, Emerging
Grant Period:
2024-2025
Millville, New Jersey

Levoy Theatre Preservation Society

Resilient Voices: An Arts Journey of Resilience for Veterans, Family and Community

Levoy Theatre Preservation Society, in partnership with New Jersey Veterans Memorial Home, will present Resilient Voices, a 16-week program designed to empower veterans and service members through expressive arts. The program will provide a platform for participants to share their unique stories through monologues they have written. Therapy dogs will also be incorporated into the program to provide support. Resilient Voices will also bring together active-duty service members, veterans, and community members to form a choir, in addition to offering voice lessons and technical theater training. The program will culminate with a series of public performances, showcasing the Veterans Community Choir and the veterans’ deeply personal monologues.
(External link) Levoy Theatre Preservation Society
Partner Organization:
Grant Amount and Tier:
$7,738.35, Emerging
Grant Period:
2024-2025
New York, New York

Carnegie Hall

Carnegie Hall’s Lullaby Project Partnership with NYS Department of Veterans’ Services

Carnegie Hall’s Lullaby Project Partnership with New York State Department of Veterans’ Services will bring the Lullaby Project to to military families. The Project pairs new and expecting parents and caregivers with professional artists to write and sing personal lullabies for their babies. The program, which strengthens the bond between parent and child, will help bridge the gap between military parents and their children, who are often separated, both physically and emotionally, due to deployment.
(External link) Carnegie Hall
Partner Organization:
New York State Department of Veterans’ Services
(External link) veterans.ny.gov/
Grant Amount and Tier:
$10,000, Emerging
Grant Period:
2024-2025
New York, New York

Exit12 Dance Company

Stories of War

Exit12’s Stories of War series will partner with organizations in New York, South Carolina, and Montana to bring together military veterans, their families, and members of the local community to participate in a six-session creative writing and choreography workshop. Participants will engage in creative expression and teamwork, improve social connectedness, transform traumatic experiences into expressive choreographic themes, and inspire each other to push beyond their comfort zones. Exit12 will work with partners to publicly present the locally-created works in a full-length performance followed by a moderated dialogue with the audience.
(External link) Exit12 Dance Company
Partner Organization:
Red Willow Learning Center, Inc.
(External link) redwillowlearning.org/
The Citadel Foundation
(External link) www.citadel.edu/finearts/
Grant Amount and Tier:
$50,000, Advanced
Grant Period:
2024-2025
New York, New York

HELP USA

Creative Forces Community Engagement: Art Allies

HELP USA, in partnership with Materials for the Arts and Lehman College, will present Creative Forces Community Engagement: Art Allies. Art Allies will be a new component of HELP USA’s Art of Resilience program, building on existing weekly open art studio opportunities offered at HELP Hollis Garden apartments for veterans, their partners and spouses, and fellow residents. Art Allies will offer monthly structured art education opportunities and community field trips to museums, concerts, and plays. The program will provide meaningful and therapeutic opportunities for self-expression and enrichment. Group activities will promote learning and social interaction among residents helping to mitigate feelings of isolation and low self-esteem.
(External link) HELP USA
Partner Organization:
City University of New York at Lehman College
(External link) www.lehman.cuny.edu
Materials for the Arts
(External link) www.materialsforthearts.org/
Grant Amount and Tier:
$10,000, Emerging
Grant Period:
2024-2025
Brooklyn, New York

UrbanGlass

Glass for Good

UrbanGlass, in partnership with the Brooklyn VA Medical Center of the VA New York Harbor Healthcare System, will present Glass for Good. The program will engage veterans across New York City in a series of programs that center discovery, self-expression, community building, and creative development through the exploration of glass art forms such as kilnforming, glassblowing, and beadmaking. Glass for Good will introduce the history and contemporary context of glass as a creative medium through artist talks and lectures. The program will also provide hands-on instruction in design and methods in multi-week courses that culminate in public exhibitions of veterans’ artwork.
(External link) UrbanGlass
Partner Organization:
Grant Amount and Tier:
$10,000, Emerging
Grant Period:
2024-2025
Wake Forest, North Carolina

The Joel Fund

Operation ART

The Joel Fund will build on a successful pilot program conducted in early 2024 to present Operation ART in partnership with the Durham VA Medical Center Recreational Therapy Department. The program will provide continuous instruction on a monthly basis for hand-building clay workshops for visually impaired veterans. This opportunity will enhance social connectedness and foster creative expression for veterans with visual impairments and strengthen The Joel Fund’s outreach through inclusive programming.
(External link) The Joel Fund
Partner Organization:
Durham VA Recreational Therapy Department
(External link) www.va.gov/durham-health-care/
Grant Amount and Tier:
$1,909, Emerging
Grant Period:
2024-2025
Canton, Ohio

Canton Museum of Art

Alpha Romeo Tango (ART) with the Canton Museum of Art and Pegasus Farm Military and First Responders Center

The Canton Museum of Art, in partnership with Pegasus Farm’s Military and First Responders Center and artist and military spouse Susan Mentrak, will present the Alpha Romeo Tango (ART) program. ART is a series of free art classes for Stark County, Ohio veterans, active-duty service members, and members of the National Guard/Reserve. The program, led by Mentrak, includes a ten-week series of art classes focusing on clay and drawing, culminating in a community exhibit. ART will provide an opportunity for participants to experience the healing benefits of artmaking.
(External link) Canton Museum of Art
Partner Organization:
Pegasus Farm Military and First Responders Center
(External link) pegasusfarm.org/military-and-first-responders-center
Grant Amount and Tier:
$7,500, Emerging
Grant Period:
2024-2025
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

SPARK! CREATIVE LAB

Ditty Bops | The Art of Listening

SPARK! CREATIVE LAB, in partnership with Tinker Federal Credit Union Foundation, will present Ditty Bops | The Art of Listening. The program is a multi-phase arts project designed to listen to and amplify voices of Oklahoma City veterans, bridge the military-civilian divide, and ultimately advocate for veterans’ care. Workshops in creative expression/deep listening will be offered to veterans, culminating in an opportunity to participate in a multicultural, multi-arts live public performance that merges art, social allegory, and compassionate action.
(External link) SPARK! CREATIVE LAB
Partner Organization:
Tinker Federal Credit Union Foundation
(External link) www.tinkerfcu.org/foundation/
Grant Amount and Tier:
$10,000, Emerging
Grant Period:
2024-2025
Huntingdon, Pennsylvania

Huntingdon County Arts Council

Music for Older Veterans with PTSD and Related Issues

Huntingdon County Arts Council, in partnership with the Huntingdon County Veterans Affairs Office and Simple Gifts musicians, will present Music for Older Veterans with PTSD and Related Issues. The program will provide music lessons and instruments for beginners, opportunities to perform at three seniors’ residences, and two weekend-long, hands-on, adult-oriented music camps. The program will serve older veterans (ages 60+) with PTSD. Veteran participants will perform along with Simple Gifts musicians at three nursing homes. The veterans will also attend weekend workshops at the Pennsylvania Folk Gathering and at Folk College. The project is designed to engage older veterans in a wholesome, creative hobby and create an environment for social interaction and friendship building.
(External link) Huntingdon County Arts Council
Partner Organization:
Simple Gifts
(External link) simplegiftsmusic.com
Huntingdon-Bedford-Fulton Area Agency on Aging
(External link) www.hbfaaa.org/senior-centers/standing-stone-senior-center
Grant Amount and Tier:
$10,000, Emerging
Grant Period:
2024-2025
Blythewood, South Carolina

The Big Red Barn Retreat

Healing Arts Multidisciplinary Programs for Veterans

The Big Red Barn Retreat (BRBR) will present Healing Arts Multidisciplinary Program for Veterans in partnership with the Columbia, SC Vet Center. The program will provide opportunities for veterans to explore art, music, and photography. Posttraumatic Growth (PTG) is the foundation of BRBR’s programming helping veterans move from struggle to strength. “The Artistic Journey” portion of the program will introduce veterans to various forms of creative expression such as dance, creative writing, glass blowing, drumming, and a studio visit to interact with professional artists. A Songwriters Showcase and a Heroes Art Exhibit are planned for 2025 to increase public awareness and foster interactions with the civilian community. All programs and services will be offered at no-cost to participants.
(External link) The Big Red Barn Retreat
Partner Organization:
Grant Amount and Tier:
$50,000, Advanced
Grant Period:
2024-2026
Lemmon, South Dakota

Grand River Arts Council

More Than Marching: Activities for Left and Right Feet

Grand River Arts Council, in partnership with American Legion Auxiliary Post #66 and Placemakers Co-op, will present More Than Marching: Activities for Left and Right Feet. The program will serve local veterans, veteran caregivers, military service members, and the members of the Lemmon area community through country dance classes and open dances featuring live bands at the American Legion Club. This project will foster and support the start of a positive social ecosystem among participants.
(External link) Grand River Arts Council
Partner Organization:
American Legion Auxiliary Brattvet Green Unit 66
Placemakers Co-Op
(External link) www.placemakersco-op.com
Grant Amount and Tier:
$10,000, Emerging
Grant Period:
2024-2025
Hendersonville, Tennessee

Monthaven Arts and Cultural Center

“Between the Lines” Healing Arts Program

Monthaven Arts and Cultural Center (MACC) will partner with the Veterans Recovery Center, part of the Tennessee Valley Healthcare System, to present the “Between the Lines” Healing Arts Program. The program will provide 200+ annual expressive arts group activities free of charge at multiple sites. Participants include military-connected individuals experiencing combat-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury, grief, depression, paranoia, schizophrenia, or other diagnoses. MACC’s Healing Arts team will utilize intermodal creative arts expression to facilitate multi-faceted healing experiences that provide coping tools, validation, and hope, impacting the quality of life for Middle Tennessee veterans and families who otherwise lack access to therapeutic arts opportunities. Program-related public exhibitions will validate and celebrate participants’ expressive healing journeys while encouraging vulnerability, empathy, and connectivity within their respective communities.
(External link) Monthaven Arts and Cultural Center
Partner Organization:
Grant Amount and Tier:
$50,000, Advanced
Grant Period:
2024-2026
Nashville, Tennessee

SongwritingWith:Soldiers

Three-day Collaborative Songwriting Retreat for Veterans

SongwritingWith:Soldiers will present a three-day collaborative songwriting retreat for veterans in August 2024. The retreat is a women-veterans-only retreat, serving female veterans from any branch of the military and any era. The program’s activities will be structured around songwriting, creativity workshops, and wellness and mindfulness practices to foster positive mental health and connections. Participants will be paired with professional songwriters who help them create a song that reflects their experiences. In addition to the songwriting sessions, participants engage in group activities and discussions that are designed to promote connection and healing.
(External link) SongwritingWith:Soldiers
Grant Amount and Tier:
$25,000, Advanced
Grant Period:
2024-2025
Nashville, Tennessee

CreatiVets

CreatiVets’ Community Workshops Program

CreatiVets, in partnership with the Columbus VA in Ohio and other Veterans Affairs sites across the United States, will present CreatiVets’ Community Workshops Program. The program brings together veterans in a community setting, providing immersive and interactive artistic workshops. Through art forms such as painting, music, vocal performance, dancing, metalworking, and other creative expressions, veterans will engage in a shared journey of healing and self-discovery. The program will foster camaraderie, personal growth, and community support, offering veterans a welcoming space to explore their creativity and find solace in the company of fellow service members. These workshops will be presented virtually and in person at CreatiVets’ office in Nashville.
(External link) CreatiVets
Partner Organization:
Grant Amount and Tier:
$20,000, Advanced
Grant Period:
2024-2025
Memphis, Tennessee

Tennessee Shakespeare Company

Feast of Crispian-South

Tennessee Shakespeare Company (TSC), in partnership with VA Memphis Healthcare System, will present The Feast of Crispian-South. The program will work with underserved, often disabled, military veterans who currently are undergoing in-patient treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), addiction, and psycho-social rehabilitation at the Lt. Col. Luke Weathers, Jr. VA Medical Center. The program will also include veterans from the greater Memphis area, building community with an evening series of Shakespeare exploration and performances at TSC’s space in Memphis. The program will serve a diverse group of veterans with diverse life experiences. Many veterans who will participate are from rural communities throughout Tennessee, Mississippi, and Alabama.
(External link) Tennessee Shakespeare Company
Partner Organization:
Grant Amount and Tier:
$15,000, Advanced
Grant Period:
2024-2025
Austin, Texas

Art Spark Texas

Texas Veterans Strong

Art Spark Texas, in partnership with Austin VA Outpatient Clinic, will present Texas Veterans Strong, three in-person expressive arts courses for veterans. Building upon the knowledge, passion, and wisdom of the “band of brothers and sisters,” the expressive arts courses will strengthen and support veterans on their reintegration journey. The project will host six one-day regional workshops for veterans, their families, and/or women veterans. These in-person or virtual workshops will include meditation, nature walks, creative writing, and arts skills-building. The workshops will seek to develop a better understanding of what creativity is and how creative expression supports wellness, for women veterans to feel more resilient and empowered, and for more veterans to participate in community arts opportunities within the Texas Veteran network.
(External link) Art Spark Texas
Partner Organization:
Grant Amount and Tier:
$25,000, Advanced
Grant Period:
2024-2025
Killeen, Texas

Killeen Creators

Operation Art of Recovery

Operation ART of Recovery is a collaborative project between Killeen Creators, Operation Phantom Support, the Art & More Store, the CARES Center, Soldiers In Recovery, and Military Life & Counseling Program, offering artistic and green therapies for active-duty service members, veterans, and military family members. Through this project, Kileen Creators’ trained veteran Peer Support Specialists will lead Garden Gathering & Art Days, Art Classes, and Therapeutic Art Journaling to participants twice weekly to provide emotional outlets, engaging past-times, fresh air, physical activity, peer support, hope for recovery, community connections, and, ultimately, improved quality of life.
(External link) Killeen Creators
Partner Organization:
Art & More Store
(External link) myartandmorestore.com/about-us/
Grant Amount and Tier:
$25,000, Advanced
Grant Period:
2024-2026
Alexandria, Virginia

Armed Services Arts Partnership

ASAP’s Washington D.C. Chapter

Armed Services Arts Partnership (ASAP) will deliver community arts programming to 275 unique veterans in the Washington, DC metro area, a major population center of veterans and military-connected individuals. Key elements of the program model include immersive classes, introductory workshops, and frequent performances. ASAP’s evidence-based program plan aims to significantly and sustainably improve veterans’ social connectedness, resilience, and self-esteem through creative expression.
(External link) Armed Services Arts Partnership
Partner Organization:
Washington Improv Theater
(External link) www.witdc.org/
Grant Amount and Tier:
$50,000, Advanced
Grant Period:
2024-2025
Richmond, Virginia

Visual Arts Center of Richmond

Veterans Programs At VisArts

The Visual Arts Center of Richmond (VisArts) will partner with Richmond VA Medical Center to offer the Veterans at VisArts project. The project serves over 525 veterans and active military personnel at various stages of rehabilitation annually from the Richmond VA Medical Center. Launched in 2015, Veterans at VisArts is an arts and wellbeing program for both military members and veterans who have reintegrated into civilian life and military veterans undergoing rehabilitation or medical care. During the grant period, participants will take part in multi-week arts classes in an array of media, including memoir writing, woodworking, stained glass, and fibers. Veterans at VisArts will address the need many veterans have to safely socialize and strengthen or maintain dexterity. The act of making and creating also boosts cognition, memory, and flexible thinking.
(External link) Visual Arts Center of Richmond
Partner Organization:
Grant Amount and Tier:
$10,000, Advanced
Grant Period:
2024-2025
Virginia Beach, Virginia

Virginia Beach Art Center

Connect Thru Art FY25

Connect with Art, in partnership with the Armed Services YMCA of Hampton Roads, will offer Connect Thru Art FY25. This project will support military members, veterans, and their families in exploring creativity through clay and mixed-media art mediums. In a series of introductory classes, participants will make their own clay creations by throwing on the wheel or using hand-building techniques. Each class will include a first session for creating and a second session for glazing and finishing the pieces. In addition, participants will experience art creativity through mixed nedia art and through paint pouring art.
(External link) Virginia Beach Art Center
Partner Organization:
Armed Services YMCA of Hampton Roads
(External link) www.asymca.org/hamptonroads
Grant Amount and Tier:
$13,000, Advanced
Grant Period:
2024-2025
Tacoma, Washington

Greentrike

Sparks at Children’s Museum at Joint Base Lewis-McChord

Greentrike will present Sparks, a play-based arts education program for military families held in the art studio of Greentrike’s Children’s Museum at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. Sparks will be led by an on-staff artist and occasional guest artists, including partner Northwest Sinfonietta. The program will bring children and their parents/caregivers together to engage in creative activities curated to support the unique needs of military families through connection, community, and healing. Sparks will provide a safe, welcoming program that invites caregivers and children to explore the depth of their creative inspirations with the facilitation of a trained art educator that allows them to reach beyond the limits of a home environment.
(External link) Greentrike
Partner Organization:
Grant Amount and Tier:
$23,958, Advanced
Grant Period:
2024-2026
Seattle, Washington

Seattle Opera

Seattle Opera “Portraits of Service”

Seattle Opera, in partnership with the Soldiers’ Chorus of the U.S. Army Field Band, will present “Portraits of Service,” a program that will result in a new, collaboratively written musical piece for Seattle Opera’s Veterans Choir. Through this project, veteran participants and their family members will work to create a series of three short pieces with similar themes based on stories and experiences shared. The new pieces will be jointly performed by the Veterans Choir and the U.S. Army Soldiers’ Chorus in a forthcoming season.
(External link) Seattle Opera
Partner Organization:
U.S. Army Field Band and Soldiers’ Chorus
(External link) www.armyfieldband.com/
Grant Amount and Tier:
$25,000, Advanced
Grant Period:
2024-2025
Hillsboro, West Virginia

Yew Mountain Center, Inc.

Creative Appalachian Mountain Opportunity Retreats

Yew Mountain Center, in partnership with The Pocahontas County Artisans Co-op, will offer Creative Appalachian Mountain Opportunity (CAMO) Retreats. CAMO retreats, held on a 500-acre nature preserve, will serve military-connected individuals and their families. During the multi-day retreats, participants will work several hours a day with an artisan to learn a craft and create a project, while their families can stay at a comfortable, rustic lodge. In addition, participants and families can engage in outdoor recreation or relax in the nature sanctuary or lodge in their free time. CAMO retreats aim to strengthen relationships among members of military-connected families in a peaceful, supportive environment, to enhance veterans’ artistic skills and capacity for creative expression, and to cultivate the practice of mindful, potentially life-long avocations.
(External link) Yew Mountain Center, Inc.
Partner Organization:
Pocahontas County Artisan Co-Op
(External link) pocahontasartistry.com
Grant Amount and Tier:
$10,000, Emerging
Grant Period:
2024-2025
Huntington, West Virginia

Marshall University

War Comes Home: Engaging veterans and their communities through immersive theater

War Comes Home will bring together Marshall University students and military veterans from the community to co-create and produce an original immersive theater production under the guidance of artists from award-winning Third Rail Projects (TRP). TRP artists will lead veterans and students in a workshop during which they will conceptualize an immersive theater production that will invite audience members to experientially connect with veterans’ stories. Workshop participants will incorporate prose, poetry, choreography, theatrical staging, sound design, video media, and set design to develop a unique platform for sharing veterans’ stories and fostering mutual understanding. The workshop will culminate in a showing for the public.
(External link) Marshall University
Grant Amount and Tier:
$10,000, Emerging
Grant Period:
2024-2025