Van Gogh for Veterans: Lighthouse ArtSpace Nashville Announces Partnership with CreatiVets
Credit: Risa T Photography
Lighthouse ArtSpace Nashville, the home of Immersive Van Gogh, is teaming up with the nationally recognized veteran organization CreatiVets to contribute a portion of its proceeds throughout July to the charity. This partnership will amplify the healing and support services for veterans coping with post-traumatic stress, trauma and reintegration into society. CreatiVets addresses these issues by providing an outlet through creative means such as music, art and counseling initiatives.
“As a veteran myself, it is an honor to work with an organization that puts our veterans’ needs at the forefront of their everyday operations,” stated Steven Tropia, General Manager at Lighthouse ArtSpace Nashville. “We are grateful to be able to do our part in supporting our veterans as they discover the comfort and healing power of art.”
Since its inception, CreatiVets has assisted veterans across 49 states. They continue to provide an abundance of resources to veterans and their families focusing on stress and trauma therapies to prevent depression, substance abuse and suicide.
“I feel honored to have a partnership with Lighthouse ArtSpace Nashville and their global growing brand name,” says Richard Casper, Co-Founder and Executive Director of CreatiVets. “Our goal is to reach veterans who have never considered art as an option to heal and teach them that it is not only ok to do art, but that it could be lifesaving. Lighthouse is making art cool again and attracting non artists into art spaces; so, we are hoping to find veterans in need through our partnership.”
For more information on CreatiVets initiatives, visit creativets.org.
About CreatiVets
CreatiVets’ goal is to offer opportunities for relief and healing for the men and women who have sacrificed so much for our country. Our purpose is to use various forms of art, including songwriting, visual arts, music, and creative writing, to help disabled veterans cope with service-related trauma (i.e., post-traumatic stress, or PTS) by fostering self-expression in a way that allows them to transform their stories of trauma and struggle into an art form that can inspire and motivate continued healing. Through compassion, we are helping veterans live again.
According to the Department of Defense, one in five veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars are diagnosed with PTS – over 300,000 veterans by the end of 2012. The social and economic costs of PTS are immense, and a study posted by the Military Times in 2015 found that the veteran suicide rate in the United States is 20 suicides per day and 14 of those don’t seek help from the VA. Veterans now account for 20% of suicides in the United States.
In modeling the CreatiVets programming, we have structured our sessions in a way that allows the participating veterans to express their thoughts and feelings without having to verbalize or directly confront the trauma. Our artistic outlets focus on creating an environment in which the veteran feels safe, providing an expressive medium that does not threaten that feeling of safety and helping veterans live again in turn.
About Immersive Van Gogh
Featuring animations of 40 of Van Gogh’s masterpieces, Immersive Van Gogh was designed by creative director and Italian film producer Massimiliano Siccardi, with original, mood-setting music by Italian multimedia composer Luca Longobardi, who provided a score combining experimental electronic music with pure, ethereal and sparse piano. Vittorio Guidotti is the Art Director. Siccardi and Longobardi are both pioneers of immersive digital art experiences in Paris. With 67 projectors illuminating over 15,000 square-feet, visitors to Immersive Van Gogh are encircled from head-to-toe in Van Gogh’s brushstrokes and colors, including animated details from works such as Self Portrait with Felt Hat (1888), The Bedroom in Arles (1889), Irises (1889) and The Starry Night (1889).
The exhibition has opened to rave reviews in Nashville:
“The perfect addition to your summer to-do list.”
– Nashville Lifestyles
“Vibrant, emotional”
– WZTV-TV (FOX)
“This has been the buzz around the country, and we are so excited to have it here in Nashville.”
– Carole Sullivan, Today in Nashville, WSMV-TV (NBC)
“Become inspired as the art forms and gets created all around you.”
– Mix 92.9 WJXA-FM
“Visitors are immersed in Van Gogh’s works — from his sunny landscapes and night scenes to his portraits and still life paintings.”
– Main Street Nashville
“A New Spin on taking in the artwork of Vincent Van Gogh’s works.”
– Tosin Fakile, WSMV-TV (NBC)
“Finally, see the world as Vincent Van Gogh painted it. It is worth it! It’s worth the wait. It’s worth the cost!”
– Tracy Kornet, WSMV-TV (NBC)
“Art like you’ve never seen it before.”
– Talk of the Town, WTVF-TV (CBS)
“You’ll want to ‘Gogh’ to this exhibit.”
– Nashville Parent
“A visually spectacular digital art exhibition.”
– Nashville Music Guide
“This ultimate, not-to-be-missed Nashville immersive art exhibit is perfect for the whole family – kids love it! Whether you’re looking for the perfect date, an excursion with friends, a photo-perfect ladies’ night or an unforgettable solo expedition, Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit is one of the best things to do in Nashville this summer! Astonishing in scale and breathtakingly imaginative, you will experience Van Gogh’s art in a completely new and unforgettable way.”
– Do615
“Have your mind blown at the Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit.”
– Thrillist
Extended through Sept. 5 in Music City, ticket prices for Immersive Van Gogh start at $39.99 ($24.99 for children 16 or younger), with timed and flexible ticket options available, in addition to VIP and date night experiences. The venue is easily accessible by public transportation and has ample parking in the nearby parking garage. For more information about Immersive Van Gogh, visit nashvillevangogh.com. Follow the exhibition on social media at @vangoghnvl on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
About Lighthouse Immersive
Lighthouse Immersive creates, produces and distributes innovative digital immersive art experiences through its experiential entertainment multiplex digital art galleries, aiming to cultivate community and creativity through large-scale events and exhibitions of all art forms. Lighthouse Immersive offers versatile spaces for creators to present their work while engaging audiences in unique art experiences that encourage dialogue and inspire new artistic creations. Lighthouse Immersive has produced the world premiere of Immersive Van Gogh, Immersive Frida Kahlo and Immersive Klimt: Revolution to more than 21 North American cities.
Recognized as the leader in immersive art experiences, Lighthouse Immersive custom designs each of their venues, named Lighthouse ArtSpace, to distinctly envelop the various architectural settings they inhabit, it operates galleries in a range of historic venues including refurbished industrial and retail spaces.
Since 2021, the company has opened or is opening 21 new galleries in North American cities including New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Las Vegas, Boston, and Denver, and is currently expanding into additional markets. To date, Lighthouse Immersive has sold over 5 million tickets to Immersive Van Goghacross North America, with Artnet calling it “one of the largest coordinated art phenomena of all time.”