Community Building Art Works (CBAW) is one of 41 organizations nationwide selected to receive a Creative Forces® Community Engagement grant. A grant of $50,000 will support CBAW’s Mission Belonging initiative, which brings together military, veteran, and military-connected participants to experience self-discovery and expression through poetry and visual art in a safe community space. Creative Forces Community Engagement Grants are part of the National Endowment for the Arts’ Creative Forces® initiative and are in partnership with Mid-America Arts Alliance.
“These Creative Forces projects provide important opportunities for military-connected individuals and communities to improve resilience and well-being through arts engagement,” said Maria Rosario Jackson, PhD, chair of the National Endowment for the Arts. “Arts and culture are essential to healing, creating connections, and developing healthy communities where all people can realize their full potential.”
Creative Forces®: NEA Military Healing Arts Network is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with the U.S. Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs that 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 Creative Forces Community Engagement projects serve a broad population of military-connected people, including active-duty service members, guardsmen, reservists, veterans, military and veteran families, as well as caregivers and healthcare workers providing care for military service members and veterans.
“It is an incredible honor to have Community Building Art Works’ efforts recognized and bolstered by the National Endowment for the Arts Creative Forces Community Engagement Initiative,” said Seema Reza, Chief Executive Officer of CBAW. “Our North star is and has always been making the language and power of the arts available and accessible to the military community and we are excited to continue to build and grow our programs with this generous grant.”
“With these newest Creative Forces projects, we will continue to see how engaging with art creates a path for emotional expression and provides a sense of community and connection, making it a vital component of holistic health care,” said Todd Stein, president and CEO of Mid-America Arts Alliance. “We’re honored to partner with the National Endowment for the Arts to bring these opportunities to new military-connected communities across the country.”
By providing opportunities for engaging in art or art-making, Community Building Art Works seeks to help participants gain a better understanding of themselves and others through creative expression, while increasing their sense of belonging to our community. Participation in the arts often leads to individual and shared sense of purpose, as well as positive self-worth, supporting their ability to adapt and readjust to life’s challenges.
For more information on other projects included in this grant announcement as well as resources for arts engagement with military-connected populations, visit creativeforcesnrc.arts.gov.
About Community Building Art Works (CBAW)
Community Building Art Works builds bridges between veterans and citizens using the language of creative expression to promote empathy, foster understanding, and build authentic community. Through online and in-person workshops led by professional artists, Community Building Art Works builds connected communities where veterans and civilians share creative expression, mutual understanding and support. Our art and poetry workshops have reached tens of thousands of service members, veterans, military family members, caregivers, and healthcare workers. CBAW encourages the use of arts as a tool for narration, self-care and socialization for those struggling with emotional and physical injuries caused by trauma. Learn more at cbaw.org/about-us.
About the Creative Forces Initiative
Creative Forces®: NEA Military Healing Arts Network is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with the U.S. Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs that 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. Creative Forces is managed in partnership with Civic Arts, the Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, and Mid-America Arts Alliance. More information can be found at arts.gov/CreativeForces and CreativeForcesNRC.arts.gov or follow us on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
About the National Endowment for the Arts
Established by Congress in 1965, the National Endowment for the Arts is an independent federal agency that is the largest funder of the arts and arts education in communities nationwide and a catalyst of public and private support for the arts. By advancing equitable opportunities for arts participation and practice, the NEA fosters and sustains an environment in which the arts benefit everyone in the United States. To learn more, visit arts.gov or follow us on X, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
About Mid-America Arts Alliance
Mid-America Arts Alliance (M-AAA) strengthens and supports artists, cultural organizations, and communities throughout Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, and beyond. To learn more about M-AAA grants, programs, exhibitions, and fellowships, visit maaa.org and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and LinkedIn.
CBAW Marketing & Communications Manager
Rob Haney is an artist, writer, and graphic designer with a passion for making slick-looking and fun images that catch the eye and draw viewers in. Rob worked for over 10 years in retail banking and management in their previous life, before returning to school and earning an Associates of Arts with Honors from Rock Valley College in 2012. An early addict to Twitter, Rob enjoys liking and resharing cool stuff and interacting with people who hold similar interests on the internet. They currently are working on their degree in Graphic Design while creating social media content for clients. When not online, Rob writes and reads poetry, creates both physical and digital artwork, and watches British mystery shows.