All of you are Christ's body and each one is part of it.
1 Corinthians 12:27
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Resourcing Mission Office Guidance on Commissioning Artwork Sculpture, water features, paintings, wood carving, engraved glass, tapestries, installations, the list continues. And a growing number of churches are using their premises as arts centres with gallery space, recording studios, artists in residence. Many congregations are aware that their buildings, inside and out, make a statement about what they believe and how welcoming, contemporary and accessible they want to be. Modern visual art such as that listed above (alongside effective sound systems, audio-visual equipment etc.) can make a building look and feel contemporary. |
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The process of choosing and commissioning an artist can be a very rewarding one for a congregation and the artist. This may not be a swift process but will be easier and quicker if the ideas contained here are followed.
These guidelines are written to help good practice. They are based on the experience of advising churches and liaising with practising artists and makers. They are the joint effort of the connexional Property Office and Creative Arts.
Why should the Church use an artist or craftsperson or maker?
There are sound biblical and theological reasons for giving God the best of our skills. Methodism has a fine tradition of praising God through music and speech, somewhat less through movement and visual arts. We all want to make the Church attractive to others as well as to deepen our spiritual lives. There is a good deal of interest in spirituality, art and religion in our current secular culture. Works of art of all kinds can attract people to what the Church is about, can allow people to explore the Christian faith and experience an encounter with God.
Sometimes a congregation chooses or is offered a memorial gift. This requires careful handling and a specific note is included in Part 2 of these guidelines about ‘Works in memoriam'.
Points to consider before contacting the artist
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Why do you want the piece of art? Where in the building is it to go? How to answer some of the above |
Do not be swayed by those who may be offering more money than others. It must be the whole church including young people and other users of the premises.
Budget
Obviously some idea of costs needs to be available at an early stage. It is unrealistic to expect an artist to give you a precise figure at the start, but your Church Council should probably aim to ascertain whether they need to budget, say, £500, £5,000 or £50,000.
Always remember that an artist is working for a living. Artists should be offered travel expenses as well as other fees mentioned.
Clear Brief
When you have found an artist it is vital to have full consultations with him/her. You must prepare a written brief. This is helpful to the artist and the client as it helps to avoid later misunderstandings and disappointment. It also concentrates your mind as it forces you to think clearly about what you want.
Having said that, the final work may not be exactly like the model and drawings. All art commissions are about ‘creative risk'. Artist and congregation are embarking in faith on a process together - make this a matter for prayer and have an expectation of the Spirit at work.
To find an artist
Commissioning services are provided by a number of craft shops, galleries, art agencies and public art consultants. Regional Arts Boards have lists of agencies and freelance consultants.
Crafts Council Commissioning Service: trained staff from the Trading Department can arrange all types of commissions. Using Photostore (see below), they can give up-to-date information on the makers whose work is illustrated, with first hand knowledge of their background, experience and price range.
CONTACT DETAILS
General arts information and news, both national and regional. http://www.arts.org.uk.
44a Pentonville Road, London N1 9BY
Tel: 020 7278 7700, Fax: 020 7833 4479,
http://www.craftscouncil.org.uk/The Crafts Council has a craft gallery, library, resource centre and shop.
Opening hours: Tuesday to Saturday 11-5.45, Sunday 2-5.45, closed Monday.
The Register provides a list of makers throughout Britain. Information is held on a database supplemented by picture cards.
Photostore contains 40,000 images of work by makers selected from the register. Photostore information: 020 7806 2503. Images can be chosen and printed out as a visual reminder. These are highly recommendable. There is a charge for this but it is worth it.
www.craftscouncil.org.uk/photostore
Art in Churches Index:details are held for over 600 artists; details can be consulted in person at the library, or brief information can be sent by post. A website should soon be available. Contact Debbie Cunningham, Administrator, Art in Churches Index, Church House, Great Smith Street, London, SW1P 3NZ. Tel: 020 7898 1863. Email: debbie.cunningham@cfce.c-of-e.org.uk. There may be a charge.
Other possible sources
Shops and galleries offer a commissioning service. The Crafts Guide which is Crafts Magazine's guide to the 'National List of Craft Shops and Galleries' is a source of information. Local shops and galleries exhibit and sell artists' work and have local contacts. Many areas have ‘Open Studio' events where artist communities open-up their studios for a season; these are listed in local papers or available from local councils.
Guilds and Societies
Guilds and crafts societies can put you in touch with their members who work to commission. A list of Crafts Guilds and Societies is available from the Reference Desk of the Crafts Council.
Publications
Magazines such as Crafts, Elle Decoration and World of Interiors feature a broad range of styles of craftwork across the crafts disciplines. Current issues of these and other publications, including specialist magazines covering a wide range of crafts disciplines, are situated in the many local reference libraries. Crafts Magazine is available by subscription from the Crafts Council.
Crafts Council Shop at the V & A
Victoria and Albert Museum, South Kensington, London SW7 2RL
Personal recommendations - ie, make contact with other churches who have been through a similar process.
Well established local makers
A local College of Art and Design might be interested. If they are you need to be sure about supervision of a current student.
Image information and credits:
set 1
Chapel Window, Methodist Church House
Artist: Nicholas Mynheer
Photograph: Ernest James
Lantern Arts Centre Noticeboard, Raynes Park Methodist Church
Photograph: Sarah Middleton
set 2
Two Paintings, The Seven Days of Creation, Notting Hill Methodist Church
Artist: Jayne Downer
Information prepared by Revd Graham Kent, Visual Arts Consultant to Creative Arts in Methodism Forum, in association with artists including Mark Cazalet, Angela Dewar, and Lucy Pedlar. Edited by Quentin Pickard, Technical Officer at the Methodist Property Office, and Sarah Middleton, former Coordinator of Creative Arts in Methodism.
Have a look at Commissioning Artwork Part 2: More Detailed Advice
See also: Creative Arts In Methodism section
Return to the Technical and Conservation Section
For further information contact: The Methodist Property Office, Resourcing Mission, Central Buildings, Oldham Street, Manchester M1 1JQ Tel: 0161 236 5194 or Fax: 0161 236 8908
© Copyright 2003 Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes. Reproduction of any part or the whole of this document solely for the benefit of the local managing trustees is permitted.
