1123 12th Avenue South - Nashville, TN 37203
& Chicago, IL.
CreatiVets’ mission is to empower wounded veterans to heal through the arts and music.
​
What makes CreatiVets unique?
CreatiVets was developed as a peer-to-peer program so that each veteran participant will have a fellow combat veteran "battle buddy" with them throughout the entirety of the program. Also, our applications are reviewed by fellow combat veterans. Our programs are unique in that we use story telling through the arts to give combat veterans the tools to heal themselves from their unseen wounds of war and to re-purpose their memories from traumatic to excitement. We encourage each participant to tell the things "they can't talk about" through an art piece whether it is songwriting or conceptual art (ceramics, painting, photography, metal or wood working, etc.). Once the art piece is created, the veteran has a new avenue to discuss issues they have faced to their loved ones. Now that their traumatic experience has been externalized in an art piece, they are excited to share what was once thought to be un-shareable.
​
Who can sign up to participate?
Combat veterans struggling with post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injury
​
What type of activities?
Conceptual Art (ceramics, painting, photography, metal and wood working)
and Songwriting w/ professional songwriters from Nashville, TN.
​
How Much Does It Cost?
All of our programs are 100% cost free for all veteran participants.
​
How long does activity last?
We have multiple programs.
Our foundation program for art is a 2-3 week course at the best art universities in the country (School of the Art Institute of Chicago, University of Southern California, Virginia Commonwealth University, Belmont University) where the participants stay in the dorm and are treated exactly like any other college student.
Our foundation songwriting program is typically a 4-day program in Nashville, TN where the participants write a song with professional songwriters.
We also offer other programs with various partners. We have an 8-week songwriting course at Vanderbilt University for Nashville-area veterans that meets one night per week for 2-hours.
We have an on-line songwriting course through the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum's Words & Music program that is a total of 5-6 sessions that can be completed at the participants choice.
​
What if I need help getting there? Travel and lodging? All programs are 100% free to the veteran participants, including flights, meals, lodging, etc.
​
Do you have a calendar of events? - We do not have a calendar of events posted anywhere online.
​
​
​