WEST PALM BEACH — The West Palm Beach VA Medical Center will showcase the artistic talents of local Veterans during its annual Veterans Creative Arts Festival on March 2 to 3.

This two-day event provides a means for veterans’ to display their artistic expressions in more than 100 categories to include creative writing, dance, drama, music, and the visual arts. Many veterans use creative arts to cope with mental health issues such as anxiety, depression and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder.

“The National Veterans Creative Arts Festival recognizes the top artistic achievements of Veterans and demonstrates to communities the therapeutic benefits of the arts in the lives of our nation’s Veterans,” said VA Secretary Robert Wilkie. “For many of these veterans, creative expression has served as an avenue toward recovery and this week’s event continues that rehabilitation journey.”

The event will take place March 2 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and March 3 from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the fourth floor conference rooms of the VA Medical Center at 7305 N. Military Trail, West Palm Beach. This event is open to the public.

A panel of judges will determine the winners of the local competition and those winners will go on to compete in the National Veterans Creative Arts Festival in St. Petersburg Nov. 28 to Dec. 5.

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.

Media seeking to cover the event should contact Kenita Tills, public affairs officer at 561-422-8607 or kenita.tills@va.gov. For more information about Recreation Therapy at VA visit www.westpalmbeach.va.gov/WESTPALMBEACH/services/RecTherapy.asp.