We believe the work of art is to rid the world of ugliness. Art has the potential to provoke conversation, pierce the heart and stimulate the imagination. Understanding that imagination forms meaning, we believe that art finds its groove by reflecting beauty in the world and sparking our imaginations to move us from what is, to what can be.

We. One of the roles of the church is, as described by NT Wright, “to foster and sustain lives of beauty and aesthetic meaning at every level, . . .The church, because it believes in the hope of a New Creation, should be a place new creativity bursts forth for the whole community.”

Work. Often seen as a vile four letter word, we believe work is something we are all created for. To work is to be human – as designed. To be creative is to reflect the image of our Creator.

Art. Provoke, stimulate, reflect, imagine, challenge, encourage, create. Art is often ahead of the curve and pushing the boundaries.

World. We live in the in-between – the space between where we lament how things are and pine for how things could be. That is our world – seemingly made for something more, with occasional glimmers of hope in moments where everything seems right with the world. This created world groans for restoration and renovation – good art can provide a catalyst for conversation that leads to action.

Ugliness. Ugh – a response saved for the frustrating, painful, maddening moments in our lives. Moments when something has gone wrong – that is the ugliness we are talking about. Things that simply should not be – discord and confusion. There is groaning, but there also is hope. NT Wright writes, “Art at its best draws attention not only to the way things are, but also to the way things will be, when the Earth is filled with the knowledge of God as the waters cover the sea. That remains a surprising hope, and perhaps it will be the artists who are best at conveying both the hope and the surprise.”