About
The Creative Arts Collective is a catalyst for the Christian Arts.
The Creative Arts Collective for Christian Life and Faith is a nationwide initiative launched in Spring 2024 on the campus of Belmont University. The initiative aims to inspire people from diverse contexts to discover and live the beauty and wisdom of the Christian story and encounter God through the arts, seeking to reinvigorate Christian arts traditions across the United States.
As a faith-based institution, we believe that God is active in the world and that God’s creativity (acknowledged or not) is lifting people’s eyes and drawing them to one another and to the Divine. Our prayer is that God would use this initiative for God’s delight, making much of the inspired gift of creativity for people, the Church, and the world.
Our mission
To explore and nurture the integral relationship between Christianity and the arts, empowering and showcasing works that lead people to encounter God through beauty, story, and shared creative experience.
How we do it
Funded by a $32 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc., we empower our Grantees the resources to create and showcase works of art that inspire an encounter with God.
Our grantmaking initiative supports expressions of the Christian story and faith that inspire moments of awe and wonder through art and art experiences. The grant program seeks to create, educate, and network by supporting initiatives nationwide that create and curate works of art, educate and nurture Christian imagination, and cultivate and sustain a thriving network in Christianity and the Arts. This unique endeavor awards grants for a variety of projects and programs across multiple media, including sacred and popular music, performing arts, digital animation, sculpture, architecture, and more.
Positioned at the intersection of faith and artistry, the Creative Arts Collective is a vibrant community dedicated to exploring the divine through the lens of creativity. We believe in the transformative power of the arts to connect us with God’s profound narrative, uplifting spirits, and uniting hearts in a shared journey of discovery. Whether you’re a painter, musician, writer, or creator of any kind, you’ll find a home here—a place to grow, inspire, and be inspired. Join us in weaving a tapestry of artistic expression that reflects the beauty, complexity, and depth of Christian life and faith.
Our location
The CAC launched within Belmont University near the heart of Nashville, Tennessee.
Belmont University consists of nearly 8,800 students who come from every state and 33 countries. The University is nationally recognized for its innovative approach as well as its commitment to undergraduate teaching (U.S. News & World Report). As a Christ-centered, student-focused community, Belmont’s mission is to develop diverse leaders of purpose, character and wisdom who possess a transformational mindset and are eager and equipped to make the world a better place. With more than 115 areas of undergraduate study, 41 master’s programs and five doctoral degrees, Belmont University aims to be the leading Christ-centered university in the world, producing leaders who will radically champion the pursuit of life abundant for all people.
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