The Local Competition

Veterans enrolled at a central or western Nebraska VA clinic through VA Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System are invited to participate in the Grand Island Veterans Affairs Local Veteran Creative Arts Competition annually. The competition includes categories in the visual arts division that range from oil painting to leatherwork to paint-by-number kits. There are also categories in creative writing which include poetry, personal essays, short stories, and scripts and include a special category for written work related to military experience. Veterans may submit entries in up to three art categories and one group category in the art division and three creative writing categories. All submissions must meet the category requirements listed in each entry packet. Artwork and Creative Writing entries are judged by volunteer artists, authors, and instructors who are local to our community.

The top three finalists in each Art and Creative Writing category will be submitted to the National Veterans Creative Arts Competition for judging. The National Veterans Creative Arts Competition judging phase occurs between October and November each year. Winners of the National Competition will be notified in early January 2024. All gold medal winners from the National Competition are invited to participate in the Annual National Veterans Creative Arts Festival hosted the following Spring by a different VA location across the country each year. All other national participants will be mailed detailed artwork pickup instructions.

All submissions and documents are due Friday, August 4, 2023

Please return a completed entry form for each submission, signed consents and competition entry to:
Alicia Wicht
Whole Health – Building 6
2201 N. Broadwell Ave

Grand Island NE 68803
Phone: 308-395-3404

Email: alicia.wicht@va.gov

For competition entry forms, consents, categories, rules, and regulations, please download the appropriate Art Division entry packet or Creative Writing Division entry packet. (packet links below)

For questions, please contact the Grand Island VA Creative Arts Committee Chair,
Alicia Wicht at 308-395-3404 or e-mail alicia.wicht@va.gov.

The Festival

Co-presented by the Department of Veterans Affairs and the American Legion Auxiliary, the National Veterans Creative Arts Festival (NVCAF) is the culmination of talent competitions in art, creative writing, dance, drama, and music for Veterans treated in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) national health care system. Veterans exhibit their artwork and original writings or perform musical, dance or dramatic selections in a live stage show performance. All Veterans invited to participate are selected winners of year-long, national fine arts talent competitions in which thousands of Veterans enter, from VA medical facilities across the nation.

VA medical facilities incorporate creative arts into their therapy programs to further the rehabilitation goals for both inpatients and outpatients. This annual competition recognizes the progress and recovery made through that therapy and raises the visibility of the creative achievements of our Nation’s Veterans.

Artwork Pick Up

The top three entries in each art category will remain secured at the Grand Island VA until the results of the National Competition are received in late December. After the completion of the Nebraska State Fair, participants that submitted entries that were not included in the top three finalists will be mailed detailed artwork pickup instructions.