Veterans and Civilians Invited to Meet and Greet on Saturday

Veterans and civilians are invited to come to a Meet and Greet at Straz Center on Saturday, Sept. 5 from 2 to 4 p.m. to learn about the Veteran Civilian Arts Ensemble (VCAE).

VCAE is an exciting creative artistic experience which brings together members of our Veteran and Active Military with members of our Civilian community, in a safe, shared experience of building understanding and camaraderie. Members typically meet twice a month on Saturdays, culminating in a performance open to the public.

This Meet and Greet will allow attendees to meet instructors, VCAE members and other interested participants as they learn about the program.

VCAE combines elements of the performing and visual arts with the intention of working towards the creation of a performance piece and expanding the opportunity for training and inspirational participation. The Ensemble is a collaboration of those interested in the arts and in creating bonds with others. VCAE empowers veterans to participate in an artistic experience that can support and enrich their wellbeing, aiding reintegration back into civilian life. It is designed to create an opportunity for our civilian members to gain a deeper understanding of the veteran experience and engage with former active military.

This meet and greet is free; RSVP is required by signing up online at https://www.strazcenter.org/events/2526-season/veteran/vcae-meet-and-greet/ More information is available at communityprograms@strazcenter.org.

The Veteran Civilian Art Ensemble Showcase is part of Straz Center’s Straz Salutes programs which are funded in part by BayCare, DeBartolo Family Foundation, the State of Florida through the Division of Arts and Culture and the National Endowment for the Arts, Raymond James Valor Network, Real-Time Labor Guide and Rise8.

More info is available at www.strazcenter.org.