The United Arts Council of Raleigh and Wake County will be offering workshops in music, writing, and dance for veterans and their spouses of all abilities.
Writer Mimi Herman, drummer/veteran Greg Whitt, dancer Michelle Pearson and dancer/veteran Alfredo Hurtado will guide a fun artistic creation process. The artists have tailored the workshops to connect with the veteran community.
United Arts has consulted with local Veterans Affairs professionals to plan and advertise the workshops following recent interest in the benefits of the arts for the military community. For example, a Creative Forces Arts and Military Conference convened in Jacksonville, NC for attendees to learn and discuss strategies to increase access to arts activities for military personnel and veterans.
Wake County is home to 60,000 U.S. military veterans: the most in the state, the eighth largest veteran population nationally and sixth nationally in terms of women veterans. Few arts programs in the county specifically target this community currently.
“We’re excited about getting this new workshop series underway,” said United Arts President and CEO, Eleanor Oakley. “With such a large veteran population, we hope that veterans and their spouses see this as an opportunity to connect with each other and learn something new. The arts are about building community.”
Vet Arts is a United Arts Council initiative supported by Duke Energy and the NC Community Foundation.
Workshop Schedule:
Tuesday, Sept. 25, 6-8 pm: Writing Your Life
Saturday, Sept. 29, 10 am-12 pm: Writing- Where in the World
Saturday, Oct. 6, 10-11:30 am: Drumming – Musical MWR
Thursday, Oct. 11, 6-7:30 pm: Drumming – Musical MWR
Saturday, Oct. 20, 10 am-12 pm: Movement and Dance
Tuesday, Oct. 23, 6-8 pm: Movement and Dance
All workshops will be held at:
United Arts Council of Raleigh & Wake County
410 Glenwood Avenue, Suite 170, Raleigh, NC 27603
The office is located in a first floor, accessible location. Enter our doors from the Tucker street parking lot.
Cost is $10 per workshop; $25 for 3-5 workshops, or $30 for 6 workshops; scholarships are available.
Workshop descriptions, artist bios, and the registration link can be found at https://www.unitedarts.org/programs/vet-arts.
For more information, contact Brandi Neuwirth, bneuwirth@unitedarts.org.
The United Arts Council of Raleigh and Wake County, based in Raleigh, NC, was incorporated in 1990. Our mission is to build better communities through the support and advocacy of the arts. For the 2017/18 school year United Arts is helping bring in teaching artists to 150 schools in Wake County through its Artists in Schools program. The United Arts Council also offers grants to organizations, communities and individual artists and provides services to the community such as advocacy, resource development, professional/leadership development and special projects.
