December 2010 Archives
"It's Like TED..."
"I am officially applying for lifelong membership in the IAM community. If you care about creativity, spirituality, and culture, then you will find yourself at home here. From the presentations and performances to the unexpected conversations over meals or coffee, the entire event is buzzing and glowing with a kind of life that you can't help take home with you. I can not wait to come back. It's like TED for artists of faith!"
Merry Christmas and a Generative New Year!
What do we mean by "generative?"
Mako once wrote, "Art, a sapling planted today in hope, can break open a boulder of cynicism, despair and corruption that pervades the art world." Generative means that we, as artists, do not react to the harsh realities of the world around us with despair, but that we respond with hope, creating in a way that infuses the cultural river with goodness, truth, and beauty at the very source upstream (for few would argue that the arts are not upstream of culture). As artists, we are by nature transgressive. But generative artists transgress in love - not against the signs of life around us, but rather against the dehumanization that plagues our world.
We as a staff spend hours talking and wrestling with these ideas, hoping that the fruit of our work, which is manifested in things like our discussion resources, Cinema Series, Readers Guild, HOW2 Guides, and online Media page, will equip artists and creative catalysts around the world to be generative in their work.
Please take advantage of these free resources, and let us know how you're using them. We love hearing your stories of inspiration, engagement, and creation of "the world that ought to be!"
And please join us for Encounter 11: Be Generative!, where we will spend three days together with guests who are generative in their work as well. It's our 20th Anniversary celebration, and we would love for you to be there.
With thanks for your part in the movement,
Mako, Bryan, Christy, Kevin, Meaghan and Leigh Ann
Encounter 11: "More Excited and More Committed"
- Actress & Writer Susan E. Isaacs, Author of Angry Conversations with God
Encounter 11: Pastors, Book Your Tickets Now!
"I can only imagine what our congregations will become when pastors and artists work hand in hand on behalf of the church's well-being. Pastors and poets: working to shepherd good words, and what a great need this is in a world that frequently debases words--letting them devolve to lies, gossip, cliches. Pastors and dramatists and dancers: working to shepherd our broken bodies. Pastors and visual artists: working together to shepherd our seeing muscles, working to bring about a baptized imagination. Pastors have everything to gain by attending. I highly recommend it." - W. David O. Taylor, "The Arts Pastor" and author of For the Beauty of the Church: Casting a Vision for the Arts
“For the church, beauty is not an option and can best be found in artistic expression. As pastors, we often wonder how to find the artists and create an environment for them to produce art in our churches. IAM can help — both in the identification of artists and the care (and feeding) of same.” - Worship Pastor Vernon Rainwater, Orlando, FL
There's something about International Arts Movement that you might not know: men and women who lead faith communities matter a great deal to us. Whether you are referred to as "Pastor," "Reverend," "Father," "Sister," or simply, "The Dude in the Pulpit," your vocation as a shepherd means that you play a key role in the lives of people from all cultural spheres. Each week, you minister in congregations comprised of college professors, homemakers, adoptive parents, blended families, students, businesspeople, retirees, welfare recipients, doctors, and more. At International Arts Movement, we recognize that your vocation is vital to the fabric of humanity.
Matt Heard, a pastor from Colorado who has been involved with IAM for several years, recently wrote in an email to me, “What role will art fulfill in the church of the twenty-first century?” Artists, both inside and outside the church communities, need pastors who understand the unique role the arts play in the fabric of culture. Matt believes that, “IAM Encounter 11 is a phenomenal opportunity for pastors to engage with the broader landscape of what the ministry of their church can look like.”
We know that asking anyone to come to New York City for three days is a tall order, so we work hard to make it worth your time. Encounter 11 will feature messages on art and culture from Erwin McManus, Calvin DeWitt, Dana Gioia, Makoto Fujimura, Roberta Ahmanson, and more. We will also feature musical and dance performances, as well as art and film.
"The church is in need of creative leaders who will use the arts for His purposes. We believe that sponsoring artists to IAM is one small way we can help foster these future leaders," says Mike Bickley, a pastor in Kansas.
We cannot overemphasize how vital the arts are to the cultural landscape. Would you join us – or enable others from your community to join us – at Encounter 11?
Encounter 11: Are You In a Creative Rut?
In a creative rut? Experiencing writer's block? Feeling like you've peaked? The theme of Encounter 11 is “Be Generative.” Guided by people like Dana Gioia, Erwin McManus, Roberta Ahmanson, Makoto Fujimura, and others, we will deal with the high calling of artists to not merely imitate others' greatness, but to be generative in out own right, drawing from the well of creativity innate to all of God's image-bearers. You will be inspired, and our desire is that you will return to your home turf with fresh ideas, helpful insights, and new relationships that will propel your creativity forward.
In addition to thoughtful and engaging speakers, we will present performances and exhibitions sure to awaken your creative juices. Störling Dance Theater will take the stage, performing one of their trademark innovative concepts of movement and storytelling. Musical performances, panel discussions, and curated art exhibitions will add further insight and depth to the conversation of what it means to “be generative.”
Give yourself the gift of inspiration, and join us for Encounter 11: Be Generative, March 3-5 in New York City. Click here for more information and to register.
Encounter 11: Exploring Cultural Estuaries
As an environmental scientist, Cal has spent his entire life beholding things. He is a lover of art and science, and he will be one of the featured speakers at Encounter 11.
You might wonder, Why has IAM invited an environmental scientist to speak at Encounter 11?
At IAM, we try to reconcile the fragments of culture. Rather than viewing our world as a pie-chart, where each area of culture is a slice of the Culture Pie (the religion slice, education slice, family slice, science slice, etc), we see culture as an ecosystem, where everything is inter-related and inter-dependent. If what is happening in education flourishes, then the other spheres will flourish as well. If families are flourishing, the impact will be felt throughout culture. And so on. So to us, it makes perfect sense to have a scientist speak at our arts conference.
One ecological phenomenon is the estuary, which is the part of the mouth or lower course of a river in which the river's current meets the sea's tide. Fresh water and salt water mix, providing high levels of nutrients in both the water column and sediment, making estuaries among the most productive natural habitats in the world. (Source: "The Estuarine Ecosystem: ecology, threats and management,” by D.S. & Elliott M. McLuskey).
The estuary provides a wonderful metaphor for culture. In a cultural estuary, various “streams” of culture, some “salty” and some “fresh,” come together, creating an environment for human flourishing. By better understanding estuaries, with an art-loving environmental scientist as our guide, we can be more equipped to see how this metaphor applies to cultural engagement.
Calvin DeWitt is an expert on estuaries, and a thoughtful patron of the arts. We are delighted to welcome him to Encounter 11, and we hope you will join us there!
Join us March 3-5 in New York City. Click here for more information and to register.
Encounter 11: It's Time to Take the Plunge.
In 2008, Dave attended his first IAM Encounter. It may not be an overstatement to say that his life might never be the same.
Says Dave, “For me, the Encounter is about tension. I feel it from the time I click the SUBMIT button at the bottom of the registration form. I am not speaking here of a tension characterized by emotional or mental strain. This tension for me is the extreme kind that stretches you tight. The kind that creates a state where a string on a musical instrument can sing. It is not a comfortable state, but well worth it. For me the Encounter creates such a state of discomfort that I would have never signed up for a second trip except for this fact: all of this tension happens in a grace-filled environment.”
Today, Dave is one of the leaders of IAMokc, a community of artists and creative catalysts working together to rehumanize Oklahoma City through the arts. Furthermore, as of November 2010, he is one of the newest members of IAM's Board of Directors! He’s been to three Encounters, and now he always brings friends.
Have you been thinking about it for years? Why not make Encounter 11 the year you take the plunge? You never know how it could change your life.
Join us March 3-5 in New York City. Click here for more information and to register.
Encounter 11: "I've Finally Found My Tribe!"
At an IAM Encounter, people from all over the world gather together around a shared desire to address what is broken in culture. At Encounter 11, you will have meaningful interactions with people from other nations, artists of all sorts of creative disciplines, and creative catalysts of all ages.
You will hear from thoughtful speakers, such as environmental scientist Calvin DeWitt, creative innovator Erwin McManus, painter and writer Makoto Fujimura, poet and former NEA chairman Dana Gioia, and many others. You will watch inspiring performances by folks like Störling Dance Theater. You will hear panel discussions featuring artists and creative catalysts who have spent hours and years wrestling with the deep questions of art, faith, and humanity. You will be challenged, provoked, encouraged, and inspired.
One of my favorite moments at Encounter 10 was when a grandfather and a college student enjoyed a spontaneous dance together during the closing night concert. We didn't plan that; no one did. But these two had connected, and when it was time to dance, they danced! It was one of many snapshots of a meaningful weekend.
Those who have attended previous Encounters have come to expect a great experience. We're working hard to ensure that Encounter 11 is the best yet. Join us?
Join us March 3-5 in New York City. Click here for more information and to register.
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