For those who attended our last webinar, there will be both similarities and differences in this session. First, how will it be different? In our last call, I interviewed Randall Flinn with Ad Deum Dance Academy, and in this call, I will be interviewing someone who couples visual arts with a ministry among the poor.
This individual struggled with the “dilemma” of choosing between “a ministry among the poor” and “doing art.” The church seemed to communicate that ministers are not artists, and artists are not ministers; people pick one or the other. My friend realized in a profound way that as a “balladeer,” their art is important to God and could disciple culture in substantial ways.
After determining that a balladeer could minister and do art, he began pulling a group of artists together twice a year to study an issue crippling his society. One time, they studied tuberculosis, spending several days in a tuberculosis hospital, talking with the patients, who were identified in the hospital via numbers, not their names.
After sitting with these anonymous patients, learning their names, and hearing their stories, these artists painted their stories, creating a human portrait of the disease. Once they were finished, they opened an exhibition, inviting politicians, business leaders, and various Christian and non-Christian religious leaders to visit. And an arts organization with a vision to shape society and raise up balladeers was born.
The work of the arts organization has continued for 14 years. In addition to hearing from my friend, we will be joined by the current director of the arts organization. Together, they will share their experiences running artist residencies over the years. In these residencies, visual artists are brought together for experiences of intense community and creativity to reflect and create art on current issues from a perspective of truth and beauty.
My friend says, “Art brings us together and shows us who we are and who we were meant to be.” I am looking forward to hearing them share what they have learned over the years about art, God, and the calling of a balladeer. Because of this balladeer’s location, the full webinar recording will not be available afterward. Please plan to join us live!