Butler VA Health Care System

Although our three first-place winners were unable to attend this year’s National Veterans Creative Arts Festival, we are pleased to share photos from the event as well as information about next year’s competition.

View photos from the festival: https://ow.ly/leaI50ZfrSU
Learn more about the upcoming competition: https://ow.ly/SRk150ZfrTs
For questions about the local competition or festival, please call 878-271-6484.

2026 National Veterans Creative Arts Festival 2026 National Veterans Creative Arts Festival took place June 9 - 13, 2026, in Columbias, South Carolina. Local host was Columbia VA Healthcare System.

Today we observe Juneteenth, a nationally recognized holiday, commemorating the historic day in 1865 when the last enslaved people in Galveston, Texas learned of their emancipation—more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation took effect. This moment, long delayed yet profoundly significant, marks a powerful milestone in our nation’s ongoing pursuit of freedom and equality. Texas later became the first state to formally recognize Juneteenth as an official holiday, helping ensure that this important chapter of our history is honored and remembered.