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Vermont Conference on Christianity and the Arts

April 30 to May 2, 2010 at Gove Hill Retreat Center

If you're interested in the creative arts -- either as an artist, performer, creator, designer, or one who appreciates the arts -- and you take the Christian faith seriously enough to grapple with it, our conference is for you!

This cross-denominational conference serves those who seek to understand and appreciate the value and significance of the arts within a Christian framework. It provides a context for interaction and dialogue among artists, audiences, and all who desire to integrate the arts and faith with a day full of talks, discussions, and workshops.

Participants will be lead through seminars, discussion and especially small workshop groups, by experienced artists, to grow as artists both in their craft and in an understanding of art in context of Christian faith. All participants will choose from various Saturday afternoon talks and seminars on a variety of topics pertaining to art and the Christian faith. Participants for the entire weekend will choose one small gropus workshop on painting, photography or songwriting, meeting several times over the weekend. Participants should bring appropriate art supplies, digital camera, or musical insturment (if appropriate). Weekend participants are also encouraged to bring their own works in progress to share with their work shop groups.

Workshop Leaders

Paul Rogers: Photography
Reed Prescott: Painting
Jason Harrod: Song Writing
(learn more about our workshop leaders)

Additional speakers will include: Matthew Dickerson, Rev. Kevin Fitton and others, addressing topics including Art and Nature and Arts in Worship.

VERMONT CONFERENCE on CHRISTIANITY and the ARTS

It's a place where thoughtful people, aware of the complex joy involved in the creative process, can come together and talk about the ways belief and art intersect and inform one another... It’s been a great experience for me to be able to share ideas and talk seriously with other writers who also think carefully about faith and the creative process."
- Steve Bertolino, St. Mary’s Church (Middlebury), M.A. in English, Penn State , 2003

"The first arts conference I went to was a breath of fresh air for me. I was on cloud nine afterwards! It was refreshing and inspiring to hear articulate presentations by respected artists who seek to understand the relationship between faith and art."
- Kara Krikorian, North Avenue Alliance Church

"VCCA has been an enlightening, refreshing, and encouraging experience each of the three years I've gone. I've almost always enjoyed the stretching of my comfort zone, but I always appreciate the community of artist/participants and the worship/fellowship times we share. It's a quality, well-planned event; with the broad range of art well-represented, and I'm again looking forward to this year's conference!"
- Kathy Jewett, Memorial Baptist Church (Middlebury)

Portrait painted by Elisabeth Ehmann

Previous Years' Conference Workshop Leaders
(2004-2008)
Devin Arrington, Pennsylvania: Composition
Sandra Bowden, Massachusetts: Visual Arts
Robert W. Brunelle, Jr., Vermont: Cartoons
Charmaine, Australia: Songwriting, Worship
Isabelle Depelteau, Montreal: Television Production, Scriptwriting, Dance
Matthew Dickerson, Vermont: Fiction, Writing
Ted Dickerson, North Carolina: Architecture
Elisabeth Ehmann, Vermont: Painting
(portrait painting, example above right)
Cyndi Freeman, Vermont: Photography
Jason Harrod, N. Carolina: Singer/Songwriter
Steven Klimowsi, Vermont: Classical Music
Thom Leshinsky, Vermont: Guitar, Music
(right, with Reed Prescott painting)
Jeff Miller, Massachusetts: Theatre
Ken Myers, Mars Hill Audio
Kevin Parizo, Vermont: Organ, Worship
Reed Prescott, Vermont: Painting
Paul Rogers, Vermont: Photography
Hilary Rushford, New York: Dance
Robert Siegel, Maine: Poetry, Nature Writing
Steve Thrall, Paris: Arts Ministry & Missions
David Wright, Illinois: Poetry, Hymn Writing