Veterans Creative Arts Competition at Minneapolis VA

Creative arts competition and exhibition

Veterans enrolled in VA health care are invited to participate in the Minneapolis VA Veterans Creative Arts Competition. This is an opportunity to gain recognition for your creative accomplishments.

All entries will be shown in a special exhibition. Local creative arts competition first, second and third place winning entries in each category advance to a national judging process. Selected gold-medal-winning Veterans are invited to attend the National Veterans Creative Arts Festival.

Our 2024 Minneapolis VA Veterans Creative Arts Competition local exhibition will be held on September 9-12 in the 1st floor auditorium. The National Veterans Creative Arts Festival will occur during the spring of the following year.

How to get involved

Visual art | Creative writing | Performing arts

Visual art

• Art Division – 2024 NVCA Competition Handbook

The visual art division includes fine art, applied art, and craft kits. All artwork entered must have been completed/photographed after October 1, except for Military Combat Experience.

Please find a date and time that works for you. Art drop-off will be in the Minneapolis VA Medical Center auditorium, located off of the flag atrium. You can fill out paperwork at this time if it's not already completed.

If none of these drop-off times work for you, please call or text Ali DeCamillis, art therapist, at . Artwork will NOT be accepted after Friday, August 23, 2024.

Creative writing

• Creative Writing Division – 2024 NVCA Competition Handbook

The creative writing division includes poetry, essays, personal experience, short stories and monologue/duologue. Call Missi Wendt, Recreation Therapist, or Lisa Dorschner, in early May for submission guidelines and to submit your writing.

Performing arts

• Dance Division – 2024 NVCA Competition Handbook
• Drama Division – 2024 NVCA Competition Handbook
• Music Division – 2024 NVCA Competition Handbook

Performing arts includes the divisions of dance, drama, and music. Entries must be three (3) minutes or less in length and will be filmed by the VA staff at the medical center. Please call Kathryn Larson, Creative Arts Therapist, in early June for submission guidelines and to schedule a filming session for July.