Seeds Creatives

 ‘Where there is no vision, the people perish’ Proverbs 29:18 KJV

Seeds Creatives has run a ‘different kind of workshop’ successfully since October 2014. Our Artist in Your Own Residence scheme, which runs for 12 months every year, gives artists the chance to make time to realise their own creative dreams, with help from our in-house team and allocated ‘soul friend’ advocates and mentors. We define the word artist broadly, as anyone persuing a creative project for the marketplace: this definition includes scientists, inventors and entrepreneurs, as well as media, arts and entertainment practitioners. Here’s an outline of how Artist in Your Own Residence has worked so far:

• Who? Artists use the framework of the scheme to work individually and/or collaboratively at the same time, but in different places. People can join the scheme at any time during the period it runs.
• What? Artists are free to choose their own creative projects, using their own ideas, themes, plans and materials.
• Where? The scheme allows participating artists to work at their own speed wherever they like, often in their own homes.
• When? The scheme runs between successive Twelfth Nights, the traditional time when ‘fools become wise’. On the nearest Saturday to Twelfth Night, a community gathering is organised and hosted where participating artists from the preceding year showcase their completed/work-in-progress projects and commit to continuing in the scheme in the new year (should they wish to do so). The in-house team and ‘soul friend’ buddies give participating artists the occasional ‘prod’ during the year (i.e. successive Januarys), to encourage participants to persevere with their work.
• Why? The scheme allows artists to take their own work and artistic development seriously. The community encourages artists, by drawing on years of experience and expertise in providing pastoral, spiritual and technical support. The chance to work on creative project in their own time and at their own pace provides participants with the chance to learn about being an artist in today’s climate.
• How? Artists enter the scheme by emailing their name, contact details and project outline to contact@seedscreatives.org. Each artist also fills out a short artist questionnaire, which describes:

(a) their discipline, way of working and nature of project;
(b) their current phase in the Making pearls chart (seven stages in the life-cycle of creativity;
(c) their desired requirements with respect to prospective advocate/mentors
(d) their preferences for the frequency and types of contact (e.g. email; telephone; one-to-one meetings)

Participants can also sign up to become a buddy for another artist in the scheme. So, artists can also be buddies (and vice versa).

Here are links to the artist and buddy questionnaires (estimated completion times in brackets):
Artist (5 minutes) | Buddy (3 minutes)

The Seeds Creatives team then assigns each participant a buddy (often a fellow artist), to get in touch (as mutually agreed) to provide support and to share news periodically about how the work is progressing.

The Artist in Your Own Residence scheme gives creatives a long-term opportunity to incubate work as individuals or in groups with the support of a family of artists.

The desire for collaboration

In order to reach its full potential, Artist in Your Own Residence is growing organically in partnership with others. Having run the scheme successfully since 2014, the concept is proven.

Seeds Creatives invites all like-minded groups and organisations to join us in expanding the scheme to combined networks in a spirit of pre-evangelism, to include Christians and non-Christians alike. The Artist in Your Own Residence scheme reaches any creative artist, innovator and/or entrepreneur willing to sign up to the process.

The scheme can grow in many directions: e.g. artistic collaborations can work in ‘pods’, building on work done by the ‘Theology Through the Arts’ team, led by Jeremy Begbie, to mark the turning of the millennium

Christopher Norris (Chairman, Seeds Creatives) is in conversation with many networks to expand the reach and influence of the Artist in Your Own Residence scheme. These organisations include:

• Faith-based: Artisan Initiatives | Arts Centre Group |  The Haven + London | Hollywood Prayer Network | International Arts Movement | Morphé Arts |
• Innovation: CrowdPatch | IdeasNest | IdeasPatch | IdeasVault | Twelve Ronnies | The Twelve Ronnies Foundation
• Film: Insight Film Festival
• Television: MTN Media
• Book publishing: CopyGhosting Publishing Services | Jolabokaflod | The Quantum of Light
• Fashion: SMGlobal Catwalk
• Crowdfunding: CrowdPatch | The Wisdom of Crowdfunding
• Blockchain: Smart Startup
• Finance: VCEntrepreneurs | Smart Crowd Productions

Please consider making financial contributions to Seeds Creatives via our Stewardship account and/or our Artist in Your Own Residence crowdfunding campaigns.

Ever since the charity was established in November 1982, Seeds Creatives has been a Christian creative resource service. In the early years, we ran workshops in churches, schools and prisons to encourage creativity using the arts. Our slogan remains: ‘Seeing, meeting and reflecting God through creativity’

Several of our past projects are worthy of highlight, as they continue to act as guiding lights to Seeds Creatives’ vision for future activity:

• Appreciative Inquiry (May-June 2004)
• The Grace of Perfect Danger: ‘Making Pearls’ creativity life-cycle (March 2012)

Please consider making financial contributions to Seeds Creatives via our Stewardship account and/or our various crowdfunding campaigns.

What people have said about Seeds

‘Opened my eyes to new ways of studying God’s Word.’

‘The Bible became real – Jesus became more authentic.’

‘A very real way to help others find God and encourage each other at me time.’

‘Seeds produce a unique blend of creativity and Biblical insight. The combination of a professional approach with a broad understanding of the needs of the Church enable them to communicate in a range of situations and venues. We are very pleased to be working with Seeds to tell the story more effectively in a range of ways.’ Sharon Norrish, Director: Corporate Development, Bible Society

‘Seeds’ visit provided us with a quite splendid day – creative, informative and enjoyable. All credit to you for the success of involving everyone from the very first.’ Canon Lorys M Davies, Birmingham Post-Ordination Training

Responses to a market research survey of Seeds Creatives prayer partners (conducted by telephone in Spring 2000)

Here are some selected responses to questions asked in the survey that remain relevant to Seeds Creatives’ current vision of the future.

What do you think is the purpose of Seeds Creatives?

‘To help people discover God-given creative gifts for their own richness and to use these gifts for God and the world.’

‘To be creative, pioneering, challenging and educational.’

‘To get people to be participants rather than spectators.’

‘To bring alive creative gifts of God’s people – and make people aware that creativity is from God – to be used in evangelism, community, church and education.’

‘To plant, nurture and harvest God’s creativity in his people through the arts and media, ultimately as a means of worship.’

‘To stimulate and share ideas for people to pick up and develop in their own ways within their own resources.’

How would you encourage a friend to become a Seeds Creatives prayer partner?

‘Seeds Creatives is new, exciting and fresh for people willing to embrace their vulnerability.’

‘Seeds Creatives is “boldly going” where no other Christian organisations have gone before.’

‘What Seeds Creatives does is unique – it gives people an opportunity to be amazed and deeply enriched by the joyful use of God’s gifts.’

‘Seeds Creatives is sowing right into the centre of social, educational, political and religious structures.’

‘Seeds Creatives is based in community, reaching people with the arts and breaking down barriers.’

‘Education is vital to development – and Seeds Creatives has earned enough respect to be at the cutting edge.’

‘Seeds Creatives’ mission is to give away skills and ideas that can equip and motivate people.’

Please consider making financial contributions to Seeds Creatives via our Stewardship account and/or our various crowdfunding campaigns.