Puget Sound Veterans Creative Arts Exhibition

August 27 - September 14, 2025

Exhibition Overview

Museum of Glass is excited to partner with Veterans Affairs of Puget Sound Health Care System and American Lake Veterans Hospital to host the annual local exhibition of the National Veterans Creative Arts Festival. Local veterans have contributed over 100 pieces made here in the Puget Sound region to be displayed in the Museum of Glass Grand Hall. From this collection, finalists will be selected by a jury of VA staff, American Legion members, and the Museum of Glass team. Museum visitors will also have the opportunity to vote for a People’s Choice Award. The finalists will take part in the National Veterans Creative Arts Festival in 2026.

More about the National Veterans Creative Arts Festival

Nationwide, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical facilities use the creative arts to help Veterans with their rehabilitation goals. 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.

Across the country each year, Veterans enrolled at VA health care facilities compete in a local creative arts competition. The competition includes categories in the visual arts division that range from oil painting to leatherwork to paint-by-number kits. In addition, there are categories in creative writing as well as the performing arts of dance, drama, and music. Local creative arts competition top winning entries advance to a national judging process and first, second and third place entries are determined at the national level. First place winning Veterans are invited to attend the National Veterans Creative Arts Festival hosted by a different VA facility each year

Co-presented by the Department of Veterans Affairs and the American Legion Auxiliary, the National Veterans Creative Arts Festival is the culmination of VA facility competitions in art, creative writing, dance, drama and music for Veterans enrolled in the VA health care system. Veterans exhibit their gold medal winning artwork, original writings, and perform music, dance or dramatic pieces. All Veterans invited to participate are gold medal winners in a national creative arts competition in which thousands of Veterans enter from VA medical facilities across the nation.