Heartland to Offer Free Summer Art Course for Veterans in Lincoln

By Illinois Prairie | April 30, 2026
Two women sit at a pottery wheel with both of their hands working on a piece of pottery. The woman on the left has long red hair held back with a bandana and wears wire-rimmed glasses and a grey T-shirt which says "Art for All." The woman on the right has grey hair and wears wire-rimmed glasses and a white and brown patterned shirt rolled up to the elbows.

Instructor Joey Hatch helps Air Force veteran Joann Barnes with clay pottery during a CreatiVets art class on Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025, at Heartland Community College in Normal.

Reposted from The Pantagraph

Story by Mateusz Janik, Photos by Clay Jackson

LINCOLN — Heartland Community College in Lincoln will offer a free summer art program for veterans through a partnership with CreatiVets.

The course, aimed at beginner and intermediate artists, will be held off campus at Hope of 5th, 200 Fifth St. in Lincoln. Sessions are scheduled from 1 to 4 p.m. Wednesdays, June 3 through July 22.

Tuition and all course expenses will be covered for student veterans through the partnership.

A woman's hands work to create a clay pot on a pottery wheel. The hands are coated with clay slip and cup a bowl shape.

Veteran Nancy Benedict forms pottery during the CreatiVets art class on Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025, at Heartland Community College in Normal.

The CreatiVets program uses art as a form of expression. The program is open not only to veterans, but also to their caregivers and spouses.

Heartland first introduced CreatiVets in the fall of 2025 at its campus in Normal.

CreatiVets Executive Director Richard Casper attended Heartland Community College from 2007 to 2009 and earned an associate in arts degree. He is a U.S. Marine veteran, Purple Heart recipient, artist and entrepreneur.

Casper co-founded CreatiVets to provide art, music and writing programs for combat veterans dealing with post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injuries.

Heartland nominated Casper for the 2021 Illinois Community College Trustees Association Distinguished Alumni Award, which he received that year.

Anyone interested in learning more about the course can contact Jerri Andrew at [email protected] or 309-268-8872.

Illinois Prairie Community Foundation awarded a Mirza/Arts & Culture Grant to Heartland Community College to help fund the CreatiVets program. If you would like to support arts and culture programs like this, donate online. 

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