Written by Malik Dieleman
If there’s anything I’ve learned in the last few months, it’s that artists need other artists.
Since the COVID-19 lockdowns, I’ve missed my frequent interactions with fellow creatives. I miss describing our processes and artwork and sharing inspiration and ideas.
To fill this gap, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship is hosting a virtual art and faith showcase this April. The showcase is centred on the theme of displacement and belonging.
This interactive exhibit will feature artwork from all disciplines—visual, word, or performance. The show will be juried, with winners awarded during an opening reception.
Ultimately, we hope to feature artists and their work, invite discussions of life and faith, and strengthen our communities.
We’re excited to be accepting submissions until Feb. 12, 2021. If you are an artist or know someone who may be interested in this opportunity, you can find all the details about how to participate on our website.
What is MAKE_ and how did it start?
I was a student leader at my campus’s InterVarsity group for three years. There, I experienced all these things in a community of creative thinkers from a variety of disciplines. We all came together to share and discuss (and don’t forget to eat lots of good food).
A year ago, our community launched a monthly gathering called MAKE_, where we invited artists of all sorts to gather, share a meal, discuss art and faith, and make art around a chosen theme.
We planned to culminate these ‘MAKE_ Meets’ in an art exhibit, featuring the pieces we made—inspired by our discussions and by passages of Scripture.
We chose the concept of displacement and belonging as our central theme. We looked at a variety of biblical stories, from the call of Abram to the parable of the Prodigal Son.
Unfortunately, our plans for an in-person exhibition were themselves displaced by the ever-changing pandemic restrictions.
However, we’re excited to wrap up this theme with a virtual showcase. What better way to encapsulate a year of artwork made primarily during lockdowns?
It is wonderful to see the new opportunities an online showcase creates. We’re delighted we can now open our MAKE_ submission pool beyond our local communities!
