PA Arts Advocacy Day At the Capitol

Pennsylvania Arts Organizations & Artists Provide Programming for Veterans and Members of the Military

By Jenny Hershour, Citizens for the Arts in PA

Below is a summary of some of the programs that are available to both Active Duty Military, Veterans, and their families.

The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra’s (PSO)* Music & Wellness Program works with music therapists and other healthcare professionals to bring therapeutic, live music to individuals at multiple Pittsburgh area facilities, including the H.J. Heinz Campus of the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System.

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Penn VUB graduates gather for a group photo at the 2018 graduation ceremony.

Pennsylvania’s Veterans Upward Bound Graduation 2018

By Jared Valdez, PA Humanities Council

In late August, the University of Pennsylvania’s Veterans Upward Bound (Penn VUB) program held its graduation ceremony honoring the accomplishments of the Class of 2018. Twenty-four veterans completed the rigorous academic program which provides preparation for the challenges of postsecondary education. Program Director Diane Sandefur read personal profiles of each graduate as they received the certificates, including details about their military service. U.S. Congressman Dwight Evans also addressed the group.

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The Pennsylvania Military Museum in Boalsburg

Blue Star Museums

By Rusty Baker, PA Museums

This past summer, 93 of Pennsylvania’s museums, including all of the museums operated by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC), participated as Blue Star Museums. Blue Star Museums is a collaboration among the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, the Department of Defense, and museums across the United States. Each summer since 2010, Blue Star Museums have offered free admission to the nation’s active-duty military personnel and their families, including National Guard and Reserve, from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. About 2,000 museums in the United States took part in the initiative in 2018.

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Shown above is an image of a piece of art created by a veteran at the Gino J. Merli Veterans’ Center in Scran-ton, PA.

Creating Communities of Care for Pennsylvania Veterans

By Staff of the PA Department of Military & Veterans Affairs and the PA Council on the Arts

In 2017-18 the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (PCA) and the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA) joined together to bring collaborative, creative programming to veterans with dementia at all six Veterans Homes in Pennsylvania. This was accomplished through staff and artist participation in an evidence-based, award-winning training program called TimeSlips.

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