Veteran artwork sought for show, national recognition

On June 6, the Sheridan VA Health Care System staff announced that they are now accepting creative art for a Veteran Art Show scheduled to take place during the annual KARZ Club Car Show and Veteran Resource Fair July 6 at the Sheridan VA Medical Center.

Each year, the Sheridan VA Health Care System co-hosts a local art competition with the American Legion Auxiliary for Veterans in more than 100 categories in five divisions. These divisions—art, creative writing, dance, drama and music—cover a broad range of categories to appeal to a wide spectrum of interests. This includes areas like woodworking, jewelry, metal work, leather work, ballroom dancing, hip-hop dancing, vocal solo, instrumental, and MUCH more.

After the local competition, the Sheridan VA staff then submit art that earned first place to a national review board. That board selects Veterans out of the submissions to take part in a national show co-hosted by the American Legion Auxiliary. Veterans whose art is selected for the national show will receive transportation, accommodations and more to attend the week-long event—the next national show will be in Indianapolis, Indiana.

All Veterans are invited to enter their creative work for the art show, though only Veterans enrolled in the VA for health care are eligible for the national competition. Entries can include any work done within the last year, so Veterans who already have a creative product that meets the requirements of a category are welcome to submit.

Entries for this year now being accepted! July 3 is the deadline for when Sheridan VA staff need to receive it for the July 6 show. Information on each division is available at https://www.blogs.va.gov/nvspse/national-veterans-creative-arts-festival/ –the local and national competition have the same requirements.

For an entry form, Veterans may email Sheridan_Creative_Arts@va.gov or contact Recreation Therapy Supervisor Tami Fleshman at 307-675-3312. 

The Sheridan VA Health Care System serves Veterans across three quarters of Wyoming and the Rocky Mountain Region. Besides a medical center in Sheridan, the system has eight Outpatient Clinics located in Casper, Riverton, Cody, Gillette, Rock Springs, Worland, Evanston, and Afton, Wyoming. Follow them on www.facebook.com/SheridanVAMC and www.twitter.com/SheridanVAMC and www.instagram.com/SheridanVAMC.