Arts for Vets is a project of the Orange County Arts Council for veterans and their families. The Council, with support of the Orange County Executive and the County Legislature, offers ongoing arts-related activities for military families in Orange County.


The project kicked off on June 2, 2007 at the Orange County Veterans Picnic, where sculptor Lou Fatta demonstrated a variety of metalworking techniques; the Mid-Hudson Wood Carvers offered demonstrations; and Shawn Dell Joyce of the Wallkill River School gave introductory lessons in plein air painting.


Since that picnic, the program has presented an on-going writing series that meets bi-weekly. One veteran attending the Vets Write program shared his remembrances of being a Korean War POW. With tears rolling down his face, he recounted details of his detainment in his writing. He said it helped him to talk about it. Other veterans shared their memories from World War II to Operation Iraqi Freedom. They realized that even though their experiences ... More