March 11, 2008

Since 1990, HHV has sponsored this gala event with contributions over $800,000

 Presented by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Help Hospitalized Veterans (HHV) and the American Legion Auxiliary (ALA), the National Veterans Creative Arts Festival will be held at the Riverside Convention Center, 3443 Orange Street, Riverside, California 92501. This special event is a week of learning, exploring, and fellowship for veterans who know firsthand the healing power of arts and crafts. There is no competition; it is a showcase for previously judged medal winners who will come to Riverside for a week of rehearsals and workshops, concluding on Sunday, October 26th with a visual art exhibit from 12:15 - 1:45 p.m. and the gala variety stage show at the Riverside Convention Center at 2:00 p.m.

Approximately 130 veterans will exhibit their artwork or perform musical, dance, dramatic or original writing selections in a festive variety show, while being accompanied by a professional orchestra. The veterans, whose artistic talents are to be displayed, are individually selected winners of a yearlong, creative arts contest in 50 categories ranging from oil painting to leather work to paint-by-number kits. In 2007, 2,839 veterans from nearly 100 VA facilities entered the contest nationwide, with more than 120 of the medal-winning veterans earning an invitation to participate in the 2007 event in St. Louis.

Admission is free to the public with an admission ticket. For further information about the festival, contact Kim Byers, Public Affairs Coordinator at (734) 845-3377, or log on to the festival's web site: www.va.gov