W.G. (Bill) Hefner VA Medical Center will host the local Creative Arts Festival for veterans to qualify for competition at the national level for the 2013 National Creative Arts Festival in March.
The Creative Arts Festival at Salisbury is sponsored by the VA Medical Center and the American Legion Auxiliary Department of North Carolina. The festival provides veterans the opportunity to receive recognition for their creative accomplishments. The competition is an annual event that provides veterans receiving treatment as an inpatient and/or outpatient at VA facilities the opportunity to participate in creative self-expression in art, creative writing, dance, drama and music as part of their therapy, and to gain recognition for their artistic accomplishments.
Categories are as follows: art division, creative writing, dance division, drama division and music division. All divisions will be judged for a first, second and third place winner. First place winning pieces will advance on to the regional level where they will compete with entries submitted by veterans from other VA facilities around the country for advancement to the national finals. All applications for the competition are available through the recreational therapy office located in Building 6. The deadline for all categories is 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 28.
No entries will be accepted on the day of competition. The competition, which is open to the public, will be held in the social room of Building 6, starting at 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 9.
Two local veterans representing the Hefner VA Medical Center won national recognition in the 2012 National Veterans Creative Arts Festival competition. Elizabeth Shoemaker of Kannapolis took second place nationally for her Broadway instrumental solo, “As If We Never Said Goodbye,” performed on flute. Paul Hill Jr. of Salisbury also secured a second place national title for his guitar picking of country/bluegrass solo “Black Mountain Rag.”
The Salisbury Creative Arts Festival is sponsored by recreational therapy, voluntary services and the American Legion Auxiliary Department of North Carolina.
Veterans are encouraged to apply to take part in this rewarding experience and represent the talented veterans in the Salisbury area.
For more information, contact DeMarcus Steele at 704-638-9000, ext. 3041; Jennifer Taylor, ext. 3065; Aleashia H. Brandon, ext. 3460; or Martha Corriher at 704-798-3625.
Check the website pages at www.salisbury.va.gov and www.facebook.com/VASalisbury.