Art and Mission
Art in and of itself opens up space and opportunity to discuss and to share new ways of seeing with others. Importantly, we want to emphasise that art doesn't always need to be missional in focus! The artwork you make in your studio does not need to prioritise the explicit communication of the Gospel (that may load it with too much of a utilitarian focus and impoverish it!). However, as creatives and Christians, you might be thinking of ways that art might play a part in creating spaces to invite others to interact with the Gospel.
To help you think about creative ways to connect with others we have written this article with former UCCF Arts Network Coordinator, artist, and creative outreach worker Lois Adams. Lois has a rich portfolio of projects and ideas about how creativity can play a central part in overcoming boundaries and connecting with others in a way that avoids 'cute' and 'kitsch'.
Here are some examples from her portfolio:
Engaging Your Community
As part of a mural project with a local Baptist Church in Cardiff, Lois worked together with two local schools, collecting input from children on questions of identity and belonging. In collaboration with the children, Lois developed a largescale mural that celebrated the local community - bringing together a wide range of people as a demonstration of the importance of diversity and unity. The project powerfully communicated the care of the Church for the community and a message of joy and hope.
You may not be able to paint on the walls around campus, but are there ways in which you might host temporary and public pieces of art around your University to celebrate the people around you?
Celebrating Scripture
We can sometimes feel shy about speaking to others about the Bible, but God's Word speaks loudly to the big questions people are asking in our societies. In 2023 in collaboration with 'The Art Fringe Club' at Monmouth Baptist Church, Lois organised and curated an exhibition celebrating the lives of Biblical women. They invited female artists (of any background) to respond to some of the stories of female characters in the Bible. This exhibition toured across Wales and brought many people together to take a fresh look at God's Word and womanhood.
Similar exhibitions have been undertaken in University campus across the UK. UAL students in London hosted a recent exhibition exploring what it means to be an 'Image Bearer'. Glasgow School of Arts CU also celebrated what it means to be human with their exhibition 'We are Story Tellers'. In 2023 Cardiff CU students were awarded best society event with their creative and interactive exhibition tackling questions of injustice. Could your CU host a similar event?
Pop-Up Exhibitions
Following on from the above example - pop-up exhibitions are a great way to engage other creatives and respond to themes and questions. Inviting both non-christians and christians to work together in response to a specific theme, and exhibiting those works in a university space is a great way to celebrate the power of art. Pop-up and collaborative exhibitions can lead to great conversations with coursemates and staff, as well as forging deep friendships with fellow artists and exhibitors!
In art school many people are looking for opportunities to show their work, so why not take an active role in facilitating an exhibition?
Creatively Engaging with Questions
Art is a wonderful way to explore, and invite others to explore, more introspective questions like 'What does it mean to be human?' and 'Where do I belong?'. This exhibition of poetry and art was curated by Lois as part of a local church outreach during the Hay Festival - engaging passers-by with the theme of 'belonging'.
How might art be used in your University context to help friends reflect on who they are and what it means to be human?
Draw my Story
A tried and tested favourite! Draw My Story is a wonderful way to bring together Christian artists and the wider University community. Draw My Story events in the past have invited passers-by to come, sit, and share more about who they are. As participants share, the artist or illustrator will listen intently and develop an artwork for the speaker to take home. A great way to create space to listen and forge deep connections.
Creative Welcome
Creativity can also be used to welcome people into events. The above image shows an Events Week mural that was developed by Lois, Relays and Students capturing people's faces as they were welcomed into the events. Such a fun way to break the ice and joyfully bring people into a space.
Interactive Art
Many of the projects Lois has worked on have been in collaboration with those moving through spaces. The above example for an events week consisted of the construction of a 'white cube' containing a series of questions. Participants were invited to respond to these questions and share their thoughts within the white cube space.
And more...
There are so many ways you can get creative as you think of ways to share the Good News with your University friends. Workshops, gallery tours, and visiting artist speakers are some of the many ways in which art can become a central shared space to open up conversations about big questions.
Why not check out Lois' website for more examples of creative outreach, as well as ideas of how you might develop projects in your context?
Website: https://www.loisadams.art/,
