YSAC helping to create creative arts cafe

Feb. 27—Yuba Sutter Arts & Culture teamed up with the Veterans Art Project to create a "virtual popup community creative arts cafe" featuring local veterans and active duty service members.

According to a press release issued by YSAC, the popup cafés are designed to engage dialogue, foster networking and to speak directly to the unique experiences and mental health challenges of the extended veteran community.

"We are excited to be able to offer one more opportunity for our local veteran community and extended military family to be part of an art project during these difficult times," said David Read, YSAC executive director. "It is hoped that by discovering new and readily available artistic processes, veterans can connect with a whole new area of health and wellness and healing."

The program is part of a statewide, creative arts engagement series of events in partnership, according to the release, with local arts agencies whose artists act as second responders to help find a creative way to offer healing.

The event is sponsored by the California Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission to provide wellness programs through various art forms for Veterans, active-duty military, family members and caregivers, it was stated in the release, as well as to provide mental health resources available to veterans within the Yuba-Sutter community.

"Event attendees will hear directly from the artists about the process of artmaking and the ways the arts have directly improved their health, sense of community and belonging, restored a connection to having hope and purpose, and to find a means of expression as part of their healing journey," it was stated in the release. "Genres of art include ceramics, traditional beadwork, spoken word, music, painting, and photography."

According to the release, the local event will also include an invocation and land acknowledgement, along with a moderated listening session.

Local veteran artists presenting at the event include Navy and Army veteran Aaron Burks (visual arts); Air Force veteran Chris Thompson (ceramics); Navy veteran Joe Moye (music, theater, poetry, chalk art); Army veteran Bert Johnson (oil painting and music); Air Force veteran Brian Shul (photography); and Army Veteran Luis Gonzalez, an art major at Yuba College.

The free event will be live-streamed on Saturday, March 6, from 2-5 p.m. To register to attend, visit https://pheedloop.com/VETARTcafewithYSA/site/home/.

For more information, call 742-2787 or email david@yubasutterarts.org.