Creative Forces Webinar Series

Creative Forces’® National Resource Center presented How Strategic Partnerships Can Improve Arts Programs for the Military, a webinar that featured a discussion on how ​including veterans in program design and delivery and ​strategic partnerships can enhance community arts programming for military-connected populations by helping to bridge language, cultural, military, and civilian divides. The conversation explored how collaborations among community arts providers, military and veteran service organizations, healthcare providers, and others can improve efforts to advance the health and well-being of these populations.

Featured speakers: Hannah Jacobson Blumenfeld, Community Engagement Manager for Creative Forces; Charlie Lockwood, Executive Director, Texas Folklife; Francisco D. Sakate, President, COFA Alliance National Network Texas (C.A.N.N.T.); Katie Harroff, Interim Director of Arts Engagement, The Old Globe; and Gill Sotu, Teaching Artist and Programs Associate, The Old Globe.

Creative Forces’® National Resource Center presented Seeing the Forest for the Trees: Using a Logic Model to Create Clarity, a webinar that featured an introduction to logic models—what are they and why they are important for community arts organizations. The webinar used the Creative Forces Community Engagement logic model to familiarize participants with the elements of a logic model, ways to use a logic model, and why logic models are increasingly important for organizations delivering military arts and health programs. The webinar also discussed recent monitoring and evaluation work completed by Art Spark Texas and So Say We All.

Featured speakers: Hannah Jacobson Blumenfeld, Community Engagement Manager for Creative Forces; Kelly Feltault, PhD, Metrics and Evaluation Manager for Community Engagement, Creative Forces; Celia Hughes, Executive Director, Art Spark Texas; April Sullivan, Director of Programs, Art Spark Texas; Denise Knebel, Chief Master Sergeant, Retired, US Air Force and Program Manager, Teaching Artist, Art Spark Texas; Justin Hudnall, Executive Director, So Say We All; Jennifer D. Corley, Program Director, So Say We All; Taylor Funderburk, Board Chair, So Say We All and Research and Program Associate, The Nonprofit Institute at University of San Diego.

Creative Forces’® National Resource Center presented Built to Scale: Creative Forces’ Clinical Research Expansion, a webinar that featured NEA Director of Research & Analysis Sunil Iyengar and Creative Forces Clinical Research Director Donna Betts leading a discussion with investigators of new art therapy and music therapy studies. These studies are being supported by the Creative Forces: NEA Military Healing Arts Network. The webinar included a panel of investigators representing the four studies: Dr. Joke Bradt, Drexel University; Dr. Anjan Chatterjee, University of Pennsylvania; Dr. Maya Story, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; and Dr. John Williamson, University of Florida.

Answers to the questions from the Q&A session we did not have time to answer:

Question: Besides biomarkers, what are the key quantitative and/or mixed methods used in your studies? Where may one learn more about arts in health research methods used to measure/generally gauge intervention efficacy?

Answer: More details about study methods will be made available in upcoming publications, which we'll announce on the NRC. For resources on research methods, many online sources are available, including the links below on the NRC.

Question: What are your thoughts about Dr. Stephen Porges’ Polyvagal Theory as it relates to trauma and how it could inform research?

Answer: The researchers are are all aware of Polyvagal Theory and although it's not cited specifically in the Creative Forces Conceptual Framework report that informed the research questions for the funded studies, it may indirectly inform current or future research.

Creative Forces®: NEA Military Healing Arts Network presented a webinar focusing on partnership and outreach strategies to effectively serve military and veteran populations. Hear from artists, veterans, and state, local, and community arts organization representatives—all associated with Creative Forces Community Connections projects—on their experiences using collaboration and targeted outreach strategies in their programming to advance health, well-being, and quality of life for military-connected populations exposed to trauma. This webinar included a panel representing three Creative Forces® Community Connections projects from ArtsWa, the Jacksonville-Onslow Council for the Arts,  and the Straz Center for the Performing Arts. 

The National Endowment for the Arts, in partnership with Mid-America Arts Alliance, is pleased to launch a new grant program as part of Creative Forces®: NEA Military Healing Arts Network. The Creative Forces Community Engagement Grants will support community-based arts programming for military-connected populations, providing opportunities for creative expression while building connections and improving resiliency. Creative Forces is an NEA initiative in partnership with the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs which seeks to improve the health, well-being, and quality of life for military and veteran populations exposed to trauma, as well as their families and caregivers. The deadline to apply for these grants is December 15, 2021.