In February 2025, Creative Forces® Community Engagement grant recipients and leaders from across the nation filled the halls of the National Endowment for the Arts with energy, passion, and shared purpose. It was the third annual convening—a powerful meeting of minds and hearts. Over 120 clinical art therapists, subject matter experts, program staff, and arts organizations serving military-connected communities throughout the country came together to share their stories. The Creative Forces convening was an inspiring and humbling reminder that art can change lives—and that change is already happening. 

The National Endowment for the Arts, in partnership with Mid-America Arts Alliance, has released guidelines and application materials for the Creative Forces Community Engagement grant program, part of the Creative Forces®: NEA Military Healing Arts Network. Grants support non-clinical, community-based arts engagement programming for military and veteran populations, including family members and caregivers. Applications are now available on maaa.org/CreativeForces. The deadline to apply is Wednesday, January 15, 2025.

In 2018, the Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) at Syracuse University was commissioned by Creative Forces to conduct a literature review and needs assessment to understand how arts programming can effectively address the needs of various military-connected individuals.

Join us on Thursday, November 21st, at 1:00 p.m. ET for an in-depth webinar presented by Creative Forces®. This session will spotlight the unique partnerships between community arts organizations, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Department of Defense (DoD) clinics, and national networking organizations, illustrating how these collaborations can enhance an organization’s ability to create meaningful impact for both military-connected individuals and the broader communities they serve.

Dance is a powerful form of expression and can be a tool for people dealing with trauma. Read this story about how the Exit12 Dance Company uses dance as a medium for expressing the experiences of veterans and promoting healing from the physical and emotional scars of war.

In 2017, Creative Forces launched its inaugural community arts engagement program. This report shares results from a study detailing how partners carried out projects. It showed benefits to both participants and organizations.

Creative Forces® uses two logic models to guide its Community Engagement program. The Grantee Project Logic Model Summary helps guide individual projects by making sure their goals and strategies are clear.

Creative Forces® uses two logic models to guide its Community Engagement program. The National Logic Model Summary helps guide the overall national program and ensures its aims, goals, and implementation strategies are clear.

A logic model is a detailed visual representation of how a program will operate and lead to change. Logic models show how program resources (inputs), activities, and outputs will lead to outcomes. Those outcomes connect to program goals.