Vetart provides the following free classes; Ceramics, Glass casting, workshops to Veterans, active duty, their families and caregivers. Therein, Vetart provides ongoing weekly classes at several locations in San Diego county including the VA La Jolla, The San Marcos and Chula Vista VET centers, and our School of Ceramics & glass, in Vista, CA. Organized demonstrations, workshops, and Art Exhibits occur at alternate locations throughout the San Diego region, State and Nationally.
VETART utilizes Art created by participants as a medium to engage the community through exhibitions at partnership locations County libraries or through pop-up exhibitions in collaboration with local and national partners. This force impact is critical to the acceptance of Art-making as a positive community building and mental wellness activity. VETART recently completed a contract with MHSOAC (Mental Health Services Oversight & Accountability Commission) to provide pop-up Art cafes statewide for the past 3 years. These pop up Art cafes are designed to promote through presented artworks, the deepest form of advocacy, empowerment and uplift of lived experiences. These cafes were the basis of deep positive mental health and wellness outcomes for Veterans, spouses, dependents and caregivers. Diminishing Veteran suicide is the need we work tirelessly against.
VETART continues to seek funding to expand our programs with research universities and national initiatives such as NEA Creative Forces. We believe the force impact of creativity and Art making is foundational to social and emotional learning, enhancing social processes, normalizing creative expression. Artmaking in a community setting is the strongest barrier aginst isolation and loneliness by leveraging community, creativity and process.
As reported by our participants we see increases in socialization, lowering the incidence of participation avoidance and is naturally intergenerational by design. We believe artmaking in community delivers these outcomes and more including therapeutic, social participation, financial and overall wellness.