Events

All workshops are listed in Eastern Time.

Unless specifically noted, our programs are free, virtual and suited for participants ages 16+. For further details about what to expect from our workshops, including accessibility options, and registration & Zoom instructions, click here.

Creative Writing Workshop with Seema Reza

Zoom Virtual Event

No experience required! If you can think, you can write. In this creative writing workshop, we'll consider writing as a tool for communication, expression, and relief from holding it all together. Join us. Seema Reza is the author of the books A Constellation of Half-Lives and When the World Breaks Open. She is the CEO of Community Building Art Works, a non-profit organization that brings workshops led by professional artists to service members, veterans, and clinicians. An alumnus of Goddard College and VONA, Reza has taught poetry in classrooms, jails, hospitals, and universities. She was a 2019 Stand-to Veteran Leadership Fellow at the George W. Bush Institute and the 2023 Pauli Murray Art for Racial Justice Fellow at the Antiracism Research and Policy Center at American University. Reza’s writing has been widely anthologized and has appeared in the Washington Post, McSweeney’s, The LA Review, LitHub, and Electric Literature among others. REGISTER HERE MissionBelonging is funded in part by Creative Forces®: NEA Military Healing Arts Network, an initiative of the National Endowment in partnership with the U.S. Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs. Creative Forces Community Engagement Grant program is managed by Mid-America Arts Alliance.

Photography for Artists — An Online Visual Art Workshop with Veteran Artist Valerie Acosta

Zoom Virtual Event

Have your cameras/phones ready as Veteran and artist Valerie Acosta reviews the basic photography rules, tips on using your cameras/phones, how to take a reference photo, and how to photograph your finished work. All are welcome! Suggested Supplies: Any Camera (Cell phone, point & shoot, or an interchangeable lens camera.)   Photo by Valerie Acosta   Valerie Acosta served in the United States Air Force for 20 years before retiring in 2022. She is a self-taught visual artist and published photographer. Her mediums include acrylic, gouache, watercolors, pencils, pens, clay and wood. Her art has been exhibited at the Arches Gallery in the Workhouse Arts Center in Virginia. She is also a DoD-certified Master Resilience Trainer and loves to teach resiliency skills that can support mental health and replace misery with happiness. About CBAW Visual Arts Workshops Join Veterans and Artists, Valerie Acosta, Shaun Smith, Joe Merritt, or a special guest to learn new art techniques on Wednesdays at 7pm EST. Come hang out in a collaborative group setting and bring what materials you have. No experience necessary! To register, click the link below. REGISTER HERE MissionBelonging is funded in part by Creative Forces®: NEA Military Healing Arts Network, an […]

Creative Writing Workshop with Shuly Xóchitl Cawood

Zoom Virtual Event

No experience required! If you can think, you can write. In this creative writing workshop, we'll consider writing as a tool for communication, expression, and relief from holding it all together. Join us this week for a special workshop from our friend Shuly Xóchitl Cawood. Shuly Xóchitl Cawood is the author of several books, including the flash essay collection WHAT THE FORTUNE TELLER WOULD HAVE SAID, winner of the 2022 Iron Horse Literary Review Prose Chapbook Competition, and the poetry collection SOMETHING SO GOOD IT CAN NEVER BE ENOUGH. Shuly has an MFA in creative writing, and her work has been published in The New York Times, The Sun, and Brevity. Learn more about her at shulycawood.com. REGISTER HERE MissionBelonging is funded in part by Creative Forces®: NEA Military Healing Arts Network, an initiative of the National Endowment in partnership with the U.S. Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs. Creative Forces Community Engagement Grant program is managed by Mid-America Arts Alliance.

Intro to Music – An Online Music Workshop with Wytold

Zoom Virtual Event

Now a monthly MissionBelonging Program! Used to play an instrument but it's been a long time? Always wanted to try to learn an instrument or write a song, but not sure where to start? Join cellist and composer Wytold on the first Monday of each month and get started! Instruments are welcome but not required. Wytold (aka William Wytold Lebing) is a six-string cellist and composer from Washington DC whose original music is featured in film, theater and dance productions. Learn more at wytoldmusic.com and listen to "Wytold" on Spotify and Apple Music. @wytold | @wytoldmusic REGISTER HERE MissionBelonging is funded in part by Creative Forces®: NEA Military Healing Arts Network, an initiative of the National Endowment in partnership with the U.S. Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs. Creative Forces Community Engagement Grant program is managed by Mid-America Arts Alliance.

Comedy Writing Workshop with Amelia Bane in Partnership with Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at Easterseals & The Up Center

Zoom Virtual Event

Join comedian Amelia Bane for a comedy writing workshop. Give yourself a break from your routine and take some time to laugh in community. Each workshop, we will read a humor piece and react to it together. After some discussion about technique and what makes comedy writing work, we’ll write our own pieces. We’ll come together at the end of the hour to hear a few participants share their work. You never have to share if you’re not in the mood. Come write with us or just come laugh with us! Open to all, and no experience required. Amelia Bane is a writer, improviser, and filmmaker based in Brooklyn. She trained at The Upright Citizens Brigade and has performed improv and sketch comedy at theaters all over NYC. Amelia holds degrees in Literature and Film from The College of William & Mary and Goddard College. She facilitates improv and comedy writing workshops for veterans, and service members in military hospitals, and in corporate settings, using humor and spontaneity to teach emotional regulation and communication. REGISTER HERE MissionBelonging is funded in part by Creative Forces®: NEA Military Healing Arts Network, an initiative of the National Endowment in partnership with the U.S. […]

Meditative Circles — An Online Visual Art Workshop with Veteran Artist Joe Merritt

Zoom Virtual Event

In this workshop hosted by Veteran artist Joe Merritt, participants will create meditative art within a circle, concentrating on lines of varying thickness. Suggested Supplies: Small line brush or brush tip marker (black) Black paint or ink Pencil Eraser Sketch paper of choice (Any paper that's not lined will work.) Joe Merritt was medically retired from the United States Marine Corps in 2016 after 10 years of honorable service. Joe rediscovered art during his medical treatment and has a successful career as a professional artist, exhibiting his work and presenting gallery talks across the country. He is a steward of the veteran art community, leading art programming with active duty and veteran populations in DC, MD and VA. About CBAW Visual Arts Workshops Join Veterans and Artists, Valerie Acosta, Shaun Smith, Joe Merritt, or a special guest to learn new art techniques on Wednesdays at 7pm EST. Come hang out in a collaborative group setting and bring what materials you have. No experience necessary! To register, click the link below. REGISTER HERE MissionBelonging is funded in part by Creative Forces®: NEA Military Healing Arts Network, an initiative of the National Endowment in partnership with the U.S. Departments of Defense and Veterans […]

Creative Writing Workshop with Seema Reza

Zoom Virtual Event

No experience required! If you can think, you can write. In this creative writing workshop, we'll consider writing as a tool for communication, expression, and relief from holding it all together. Join us. Seema Reza is the author of the books A Constellation of Half-Lives and When the World Breaks Open. She is the CEO of Community Building Art Works, a non-profit organization that brings workshops led by professional artists to service members, veterans, and clinicians. An alumnus of Goddard College and VONA, Reza has taught poetry in classrooms, jails, hospitals, and universities. She was a 2019 Stand-to Veteran Leadership Fellow at the George W. Bush Institute and the 2023 Pauli Murray Art for Racial Justice Fellow at the Antiracism Research and Policy Center at American University. Reza’s writing has been widely anthologized and has appeared in the Washington Post, McSweeney’s, The LA Review, LitHub, and Electric Literature among others. REGISTER HERE MissionBelonging is funded in part by Creative Forces®: NEA Military Healing Arts Network, an initiative of the National Endowment in partnership with the U.S. Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs. Creative Forces Community Engagement Grant program is managed by Mid-America Arts Alliance.

The Art of the Wash — An Online Visual Art Workshop with Veteran Artist Shaun Smith

Zoom Virtual Event

In this workshop, Veteran Artist Shaun Smith will discuss wash techniques and apply them to a Beatrix potter inspired work. All skill levels are welcome. Suggested Supplies: Watercolor paint Paint brushes Watercolor paper Water container Tape Pencil Waterproof ink pen (micron or other artist pen) Eraser   Painting by Shaun Smith   Shaun Smith is a Retired U.S. Army Veteran and Fine Artist based in Northern Maine. Shaun served 10 years as a Combat Medic with a tour in Afghanistan. During that time he was awarded The Combat Medic Badge for providing care under fire and a Purple Heart for injuries sustained from a VBIED. Shaun found comfort in art therapy as a way to express his experiences, leading him to enroll into an art university. Shaun graduated from The Academy of Art University of San Francisco with a Bachelors in Fine art Painting in 2021. Shaun dedicates his time to painting landscapes, wildlife, and peaceful moments. "War carves a deep scar on us, always reminding us long after we leave the battlefield. I combat that ugliness by submerging myself in the tranquility of the wilderness to reflect and find peace. When I paint a scene or a subject, That's […]

Body as a Poem: Writing Through the Layers with Oliver Baez Bendorf — An Online Creative Writing Workshop in Partnership with Strathmore

Zoom Virtual Event

Creative writing is a tool for knowing yourself, understanding the world, and connecting with other people. Led by author Seema Reza and accomplished guest writers—including poets, memoirists, novelists, and storytellers—these generative community workshops follow the model developed by Community Building Art Works (CBAW) over the course of a decade of bringing people together in military and hospital settings. Each workshop is designed to help participants put their personal stories on paper in a supportive environment. Whether you’re just starting out or have been writing for years, you are welcome; no experience is required. Bring a pen, a notebook, and an open mind! Body as a Poem: Writing Through the Layers with Oliver Baez Bendorf About This Workshop Our bodies carry stories of change, bouncebackability, and connection. In this workshop, we’ll explore the body as a site of transformation and creativity, using writing prompts to draw on physical sensations, memories, and the world around us. No prior experience is needed—just a willingness to write. Oliver Baez Bendorf is an award-winning poet whose work explores themes of interconnectedness, transformation, and queer liberation. He is the author of Consider the Rooster (Nightboat Books, 2024), Advantages of Being Evergreen, and The Spectral Wilderness. His […]

Creative Writing Workshop with Seema Reza

Zoom Virtual Event

No experience required! If you can think, you can write. In this creative writing workshop, we'll consider writing as a tool for communication, expression, and relief from holding it all together. Join us. Seema Reza is the author of the books A Constellation of Half-Lives and When the World Breaks Open. She is the CEO of Community Building Art Works, a non-profit organization that brings workshops led by professional artists to service members, veterans, and clinicians. An alumnus of Goddard College and VONA, Reza has taught poetry in classrooms, jails, hospitals, and universities. She was a 2019 Stand-to Veteran Leadership Fellow at the George W. Bush Institute and the 2023 Pauli Murray Art for Racial Justice Fellow at the Antiracism Research and Policy Center at American University. Reza’s writing has been widely anthologized and has appeared in the Washington Post, McSweeney’s, The LA Review, LitHub, and Electric Literature among others. REGISTER HERE MissionBelonging is funded in part by Creative Forces®: NEA Military Healing Arts Network, an initiative of the National Endowment in partnership with the U.S. Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs. Creative Forces Community Engagement Grant program is managed by Mid-America Arts Alliance.

Creative Writing Workshop with Ben Weakley in Partnership with Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at Easterseals & The Up Center

Zoom Virtual Event

Join us for a generative creative writing workshop where we use the written and spoken word to find healing and self-discovery together in a welcoming, safe community. Open to all voices. No experience necessary. Ben Weakley spent fourteen years in the U.S. Army, beginning with deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan and finishing at a desk inside the Pentagon. He writes poetry and prose about the enduring nature of war and the human experience for veterans, their families, and anyone who would help them bear witness to war and its aftermath. A believer in the power of words to empower and heal, Ben leads writing workshops for Active Duty Military, Veterans, their families and caregivers, as well as Frontline Health Care Workers and other communities of ordinary people bearing witness to a difficult world. Ben lives in the Tri-Cities of Northeast Tennessee with his wife, two children, and a well-meaning but poorly behaved hound-dog. REGISTER HERE MissionBelonging is funded in part by Creative Forces®: NEA Military Healing Arts Network, an initiative of the National Endowment in partnership with the U.S. Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs. Creative Forces Community Engagement Grant program is managed by Mid-America Arts Alliance.

Slow-Stitched Collage — An Online Visual Art Workshop with Angie Ebba

Zoom Virtual Event

In this special 90-minute workshop with artist Angie Ebba, participants will learn about the meditative and grounding practice of slow stitching. We will use fabric scraps to create small, stitched collages. No prior experience with sewing needed. Suggested Supplies: Small scraps of fabric, lace, ribbon Embroidery thread in 1-3 colors Embroidery needle Something to sew onto (examples: larger piece of fabric, piece of clothing, canvas bag, etc.) Scissors Optional Supplies: glue stick beads small natural items (stick, piece of sea glass, pebble)   Angie Ebba is a queer disabled writer and artist who teaches workshops and performs across the US. Angie believes in the power of art, writing, and performance to help us gain a better understanding of ourselves, to build community, and to make change. Find Angie online at rebelonpage.com. Slow Stitched Collage by Angie Ebba   About CBAW Visual Arts Workshops Join Veterans and Artists, Valerie Acosta, Shaun Smith, Joe Merritt, or a special guest to learn new art techniques on Wednesdays at 7pm EST. Come hang out in a collaborative group setting and bring what materials you have. No experience necessary! To register, click the link below. REGISTER HERE MissionBelonging is funded in part by Creative Forces®: […]