WNY Veteran & Artists Wellness Collaborative

Second Thursday of the month from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm, October through May.

The Burchfield Penney Art Center in collaboration with the VA WNY Community Engagement and Partnership Program, is offering classes for current and former military members and their families. 

The evening begins with a docent-led tour, which provides an opportunity to explore how visual images can be used as a means of expression. This is followed by an artmaking class led by an artist, where participants will discover many different art mediums and techniques. 

We believe the arts are important to veterans because, for many military personnel, they are a way to express what they experienced during their service; for their families, the arts provide a means to process the time they’ve spent separated from their loved ones. 

This partnership offers military veterans a safe, productive, healthy environment where they can forge new friendships while working with artists to create original works of art. Additionally, our program affords veterans a chance to interact with other veterans, increasing their network of support.

The program is free and open to all veterans and their families. From October through May, sessions run every second Thursday from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Mission Statement: To reduce veteran suicide and increase suicide prevention awareness using the arts and culture by providing service members, veterans, and their families with increased access, educational opportunities, and promoting the therapeutic benefit of creative

Vision Statement: To give every service member, veteran, and their families the knowledge and opportunity to utilize the arts and culture to address their emotional well-being and be a support for them in their lives