The arts unlock the mind and open doors to creativity that can permeate the very essence of our being. That's why teaching the arts to children is so essential to their education. Creativity is needed to enhance all forms of learning, from music, to literature, to math and science principles. Without it, the capacity to truly understand and comprehend is limited. This is not pie In the sky theory, but documented fact.  

Veterans living in rural areas face many health disparities and have greater difficulty accessing needed care. Heather Spooner works with the University of Florida's Center for Arts in Medicine telehealth-based art therapy clinical demonstration project at the Malcolm Randall VA Medical Center, which addresses the needs of rural Veterans by providing them with supervised art therapy in their own home.

"As an artist who went on to law school, I enjoy my role at the Arts & Business Council because it allows me to keep one foot in the arts community and one in the business community as we encourage more partnerships.  Whether through programs that empower artists to create more sustainable careers or that show businesses how they can engage first-hand with the arts, all of our work connects back to a fundamental belief in the importance of the role artists play in a community."

Art is a fundamental commodity of humanity. The arts and business are intricately linked and I firmly believe that one does not exist without the other. As an artist, arts entrepreneur, curator, and arts administrator who grew up and remains immersed in the economic and community development and small business world, I clearly see this truth which has played out in many ways in my lifetime.

Arthur Bloom founded MusiCorps in 2007 to integrate arts and healing for veterans at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Maryland. The rehabilitative program matches musicians with injured troops who have an interest in music, utilizing traditional instruments along with computer workstations and custom equipment, and projects tailored to individual circumstances, interests, and goals. They practice technique, play, write, and record music.

Matt Michels is South Dakota’s 38th Lieutenant Governor and the Chair of the National Lt. Governors Association (NLGA) where he has designated the State Military and Veterans Arts Program as his chair's initiative.  Matt is the perfect champion for this program given his background as an elected official, a naval officer, a nurse and as an arts advocate. 

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