We hope to run this course again in Auutmn 2024, please join the mailing list to be kept up to date on workshops and courses: https://soulmarks.us18.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=fac21c6c83d0c7e3e1fd94ffb&id=3471228dd9

Contemporary Visual Art and Christian Worship Course 2024

This course is for those who wish to explore and develop the role of contemporary visual art in Christian worship. You will engage practically, theologically and creatively through looking, listening, group discussions, practical tasks and reflective work to help expand and cultivate your imaginations, your churches and worship in new ways. More details coming soon. It will following a similar format and programme to the 2021 course, see below.

AIMS

  • To cultivate the imaginations of those participating.
  • To give participants a broader understanding of and new possibilities of engaging art in worship. 
  • Develop skills, ideas and processes to cultivate creative possibilities for worship. To expand the possibilities of what is possible

Registration is now closed.

This is an open access course available as a 10-credit course (accredited by the University of Glasgow) or audit-only for those who just wish to engage with the learning programme for their own personal benefit.

Course Times: 8 X 2 Hour classes: Thursday evenings:

Thurs 5th Oct 7-9pm

Thurs 12th Oct

Thurs 19th Oct

Thurs 26th Oct

Break on the 2nd Nov

Thurs 9th Nov

Thurs 16th Nov

Thurs 23rd Nov

Thurs 30th Nov

Course Details: (Order and content may vary)

1. Why Art? An Introduction to Engaging with Art in the Church 
Why do you want art in your Church? What can art bring to our worship and how? There are a myriad of different ways to engage with art in the Church. This first week will briefly introduce the subject and the variety of topics and issues that will be discussed in the course.  

2. Danger Art at Work! Art and the Church 
The art world is a place where boundaries are pushed; art can be sensational, disturbing, beautiful and breathtaking or all of these and more at once! Should we have art in the Church and if so what form is deemed to be acceptable? The Church’s often troubled and varied history, including its present-day relationship with the visual arts, will be explored and discussed in this session.

3. What’s space got to do with it: Art, Environment and Context?
How seriously do we engage with space? How does it enable or disable our worship? What does it say about our faith, our worship, our theology, our community? We will explore these questions regarding space through practice and discussion.

4. Materials and Materiality
The medium is the message. How do the objects and materials we use in worship communicate the gospel?  Jesus engaged many everyday ordinary objects and materials in his ministry to communicate the gospel, for example; yeast, spit, mud, fig tree, fish, bread, wine. What present day quotidian and cultural objects and materials might be use artistically and creatively to re-imagine our worship and delve deeper into our faith?

5. Word and Text: Texta as Image
How can we use textas image in worship; to teach, preach, illustrate, intrigue, open minds or close them down?

6. Imagination: Lost in Wonder, Love and Praise
Cultivating the Imagination. Where do my ideas and inspiration come from? Participants will be encouraged to begin to develop their own creative ideas and imaginations through group work and practice. 

7. Participation
How might the creative participation of the people be facilitated in worship? This workshop explores a variety of examples of artistic inclusion for congregations and questions around sensitively encouraging people to take part. 

8. Reflecting Back and Moving Forward. Revisiting and reflecting on the subjects and practice of the previous weeks. Where do we go from here?

For more information and to enrol please see: https://www.trinitycollegeglasgow.co.uk/visual-art-and-worship