(TacArts)

The Tactical Visual Arts Unit (a.k.a. TacArts) is The Omerta Arts Syndicate’s program connecting veterans, their families and support team to the healing power of Arts.

TacArts is a program born out of the need for artists to be seen and heard. 

When we opened Omerta Arts, veterans were among the first creatives to reach out to us. They were eager to explore the idea of what it might look like to participate in our immersive, creative community-oriented projects. In response, TacArts was created with the specific and unique needs of our local veteran community in mind. The program is a result of our combined personal and professional experience in the healing arts coupled with the feedback and input we received directly from our veteran community and those who work with this community everyday.

In spring of 2022, TacArts officially partnered with the Fort Harrison Veteran’s Hospital Behavioral Health and Rehab Program. Nearly a dozen participants registered for an introductory level, 8-week course, led by an Omerta Arts instructor. They were prepared to humbly and courageously show up multiple times a week and sink their fingers into slabs of cold, gritty clay; to sculpt their hearts out with little to no prior experience. They were open to being vulnerable and real about who they were and what had shaped them while learning and processing alongside other veteran artists.

The success of the program was immediately evident: stellar attendance and retention rates, consistent and repeated mention of participants’ noticeable relief from everyday mental health struggles and a new found ability to connect more deeply and integrate more fully into the community. We heard about relationships improving, weight being lifted, hope and confidence increasing. Though most of those among this initial group had little to no experience in the artistic medium at hand, many of their finished works were entered into and accepted by the National Juried Veteran’s Art Competition. Several received awards.

As the success and recovery of TacArts participants increased, so too did their desire to further develop their artistic voices and skills. Thus TacArts grew into what it has become today: extended and indefinite studio time that is specifically dedicated to the continued professional development of veteran artists. A safe space where the healing journey continues to unfold through artistic expression. A warm and welcoming community where you can always show up just as you are. A place to understand and be understood among slabs and brushes and fresh ideas and glaze and paint. A nondescript stone building on a quiet street, full of rooms where artistic talent continues to emerge and strengths reign.


Subsequently, many artists have found that having consistent studio time is integral to their overall well-being and have since transitioned into our ‘Guest Artist’ program. This program allows for expanded personal storage, 24-hour access to the facility, camaraderie of supportive peers, and the advice of experienced mentors.
If desired, VA participating artists in the program are also coached regarding the presentation and sale of their work for the annual VA Creative Arts Festival. Some also feature they’re work in our front gallery (a public retail space) and have the chance to enter into competitive juried shows and destination maker’s markets.
If a participating artist expresses the desire and interest in becoming a full-time, working artist, the Omerta Arts community (and specifically the TacArts Program) is committed to and invested in the continued mentorship over time to develop the necessary skills to achieve that goal.

The core artists and art instructors recruited by Omerta Arts are selected not just for their enviable artistic acumen, but also because of their commitment to the veteran community and other vulnerable populations. The success of this program lies in the insights of our courageous participants and the willingness of all involved, especially our instructors and mentors, to listen closely and adapt accordingly. TacArts all started from seeds sewn by 2 passionate artists with a beautiful vision of what could be. But, what is has become today- a highly customized, participant-informed line of programming that blends the personal with the professional in a way that only the healing arts can.

Please reach out if you’d like to get involved with this program. We’d love to hear from you.