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Art and the Church

Europe organizations church and art

Organizations and websites church and art Europe

Future Religious Heritage is the only European network of charities, governmental, religious and university departments, that work to protect religious heritage buildings across Europe. Registered in Belgium and with offices in London and Brussels, FRH was established in 2010. We promote Europe’s rich religious heritage, which is a shared resource for cultural, social and economic development. Raise awareness of the threats facing Europe’s religious heritage. Provide a communication platform for those working to protect Europe’s religious heritage. Share expertise and experience on common challenges. www.futurereligiousheritage.eu (E)
 
 
BELGIUM
 
PARCUM, Centrum voor Religieuze Kunst en Cultuur, Heverlee. Centre for the preservation and documentation of the cultural heritage of the church in Flanders. Extensive website. https://www.parcum.be/ (NL, F, E)
 
Kerknet. Website with information about different art forms in its relation to the church. Organises exhibitions and cultural manifestations. https://www.kerknet.be/thema/cultuur  (NL)
 
Pro Arte Christiana, kunstcentrum PAC was founded in 1957 after the example of similar movements outside Belgium by the Franciscan convent of Vaalbeek. The main goal was to renew religious art in Flanders. Two monks of the convent, Geroen de Bruycker en Rik van Schil, who were eminent artists themselves, invited other artists to exhibit their work. They also gave advice concerning the renovation of ca. 400 churches. The activities of Pro Arte Christiana have come to an end, but you can read about the centre here: https://halewijn.info/catalogus/een_halve_eeuw_pro_arte_christiana (NL)
 
 
DENMARK
 
Gallery Emmaus in Ringsted (Slaelland), with a list of Christian artists. Biblical themes but also landscapes, figurative and abstract. The gallery also advises and sells to churches. www.galleri-emmaus.dk (Da)
 
 
ENGLAND
 
Art Alive in Churches (AAiC) exists to demonstrate to visitors the wealth of heritage arts and crafts in the churches of East Anglia and their historic European links. With a series of annual projects it aims to build an accessible archive of information about church heritage and specific arts and crafts with links to the current day. Since its inception in 2008, AAiC has run long weekends of exhibitions and demonstrations in Norfolk churches on particular themes relating to the church buildings and their artefacts. AAiC has also incorporated two other projects into its work portfolio; the East Anglian Wall Paintings Database and the Norfolk Medieval Graffiti Survey. https://www.frh-europe.org/art-alive-in-churches-english-churches-show-off-their-brillance/ (E)
 
ACG Architects group, The Courtyard, 59 Portobello Rd., London. The ACG is an association of Christians professionally involved in the world of the arts, architecture, media and entertainment who seek to integrate their faith with their artistic activities. The ACG aims to unite and support Christian artists and performers from various disciplines so that they can be a transforming influence in the world of arts, media and entertainment. Members are from many diverse Christian church backgrounds. The ACG offers publications, meetings, workshops and events which seek to support and encourage its members to be fully professional, fully creative and fully Christian. www.artscentregroup.org.uk (E)
 
Art and Christianity (A + C). Studies and promotes the engagement of the visual art with church and theology. Has been formed to respond to the evident need for a forum in which the rapidly growing numbers of those interested in the encounter between the arts (especially the visual arts) and Christianity can share their interests, projects and concerns. They include artists interested in deepening their theological understanding, theologians and clergy interested in viewing the arts in a Gospel or theological perspective, and lay people with a non-specialist interest in both areas of all mainline Christian traditions. ACE aims to be a network linking people with these interests, as well as a pressure group seeking to improve training of clergy and of church people in general, an organiser of events of specialist and general interest and a resource centre. On the website the Ecclesiart section, a project to map significant works of modern (post 1920) and contemporary art in UK churches and cathedrals. https://www.artandchristianity.org/  (E)
 
Art and Sacred Places celebrates and encourages the interaction of art and religion by commissioning artists to make work in sacred places. While exploring and illuminating the relationship between contemporary art and spirituality, it finds new audiences for art and challenging new spaces for artists. Art and Sacred Places’ work is based on the conviction that art and religion share fundamental concerns and explore similar territory, albeit in significantly different ways. www.artandsacredplaces.org (E)
 
British Society of Master Glass Painters (BSMGP), London. Britain's only organization devoted exclusively to the art and craft of stained glass. From the outset, its chief objectives have been to promote and encourage high standards in the art and craft of stained glass painting and staining, to act as a locus for the exchange of information and ideas within the stained glass craft and to preserve the invaluable stained glass heritage of Britain. Its wide range of activities includes: lectures, conferences, exhibitions, forums, guided walks and other events connected with stained glass; an annual Journal of Stained Glass, a quarterly Stained Glass Newsletter and other publications; access to the Society’s extensive reference library on stained glass and the online Members' Forum, as well as illustrated online design portfolios for Fellows and Associates. Membership is open to stained glass designers, painters and makers, historians, researchers and other academics, conservators, restorers, students, amateur stained glass makers and anyone with an interest in stained glass, including libraries and museums. www.bsmgp.org.uk  (E)
 
Building Conservation. Ecclesiastical Architects & Surveyors Association. Extensive website with everything for the conservation, restoration and repair of old buildings. With many links to organisations and websites, articles, info on books, what’s on etc. www.buildingconservation.com (E) 
 
Christians in Architecture and Planning (CAP). CAP began as the Association of Christians in Planning and Architecture, which started as part of an initiative by Oliver Barclay of the Universities and Colleges Christian Fellowship (UCCF) to provide support for graduates in their professional lives, and to encourage a higher profile of Christian input into professional discussions. Conferences and seminars. Publishes a newsletter three times per year. Runs Planning and Architectural Theory Groups. Encourages and helps all Christians engaged professionally in the practice or teaching of Architecture, Urban Design, Land Use and Transportation Planning to examine their profession and theories from a Christian standpoint. www.capsite.org.uk (E)
 
Church Care is the Church of England's national resource, supporting all those in parishes, dioceses and cathedrals caring for their buildings. It is the comprehensive source of information for everyone managing a church building. Most advice on ChurchCare also applies to other denominations. Also about commissioning new art to enhance church buildings. Whatever the date of your church, a new work of art will, by its very nature, become the heritage of the future, be it a stained glass window, a sculpture, a textile, a painting, liturgical furniture and furnishings or other installation. http://www.churchcare.co.uk/
 
Churches Conservation Trust. We are the national charity protecting historic churches at risk. We’ve saved over 340 special buildings which attract more than 1.5 million visitors a year. With our help and with your support they are kept open, in use and free to all – living once again at the heart of their communities. Our estate is the largest single collection of historic churches in the country, ranging from the virtually untouched medieval in idyllic rural settings, to ornately impressive Victorian in busy town centres. It includes ten challenging inner urban churches, which will need new uses and significant funds to survive. https://www.visitchurches.org.uk/ (E)
 
Church Monuments Society. The Church Monuments Society was founded in 1979 and offers a focus for all who have an interest in church monuments of all types and periods. It was conceived to encourage the appreciation, study and conservation of church monuments both in the UK and abroad. www.churchmonumentssociety.org (E)
 
commission4mission exists to encourage the commissioning and placing of contemporary Christian art in churches, as a means of fundraising for charities and as a mission opportunity for churches. http://commissionformission.blogspot.com (E)
 
The Ecclesiastical Architects and Surveyors Association is a learned Society, founded in 1872 as the Ecclesiastical Surveyors Association, to promote good standards of design and repair of ecclesiastical buildings, be they churches, chapels, halls, parsonage houses or similar buildings, across all denominations. www.easanet.co.uk (E)
 
Ecclesiological Society. For those interested in churches and their architecture in the UK, but also with links to churches and art in many countries. www.ecclsoc.org (E)
 
Historic Chapels Trust (HCT) was established in 1993 to take into ownership redundant chapels and other places of worship in England which are of outstanding architectural importance and historic interest. The object is to secure their preservation, repair and maintenance for public benefit, including contents, burial grounds and ancillary buildings. Buildings of all denominations and faiths can be taken into care with the exception of Anglican churches which are eligible for vesting in the Churches Conservation Trust of the Church of England. https://www.nationalchurchestrust.org/get-support/support-organisations/historic-chapels-trust (E)
 
Seeds. Christian creative resource service. Seeds has members in all arts disciplines. Seeds was formed with the intention of developing the use of arts skills in churches and led workshops in all arts disciplines to this end. Also offers clergy training courses. In the 1990s Seed started its involvement in schools, using the arts to investigate human rights and environmental issues. It developed theatre-in-education productions, led workshops and teacher training sessions and provided educational materials. Seeds aims are: To encourage creativity within Christian and secular communities; to provide creative resources; to enable churches to develop their own creative resources; to provide training in creative worship for clergy. Our members come from all varieties of churches. We publish a newsletter six times a year which includes workshop ideas for use with Christian faith groups. https://seedscreatives.org/ (E)
 
Society for Catholic Artists. The Society of Catholic Artists is for those engaged as professional or amateurs in the various disciplines of the visual arts. Our membership includes painters, stone and metal sculptors, architects, stained glass artists, silversmiths, potters, iconographers, and more. The S.C.A. encourages high standards in church art. We are prepared to execute any decorative or sacred work, and we bring together Catholic Artists and interested laymen in spiritual fellowship and collaboration. The Regional Group, which enjoys participation in national and international exhibitions and conferences, meets monthly for a varied programme of events, discussion and support. Membership is open not only to practising Catholic artists, and artists with Catholic affiliations, but also all Catholics interested in the visual arts. www.catholicartists.co.uk/index.html (E)
 
 
FRANCE
 
Artistes en Dialogue. Initiative to encourage dialogue between contemporary artists and the church. www.artistes-en-dialogue.org/artinst.htm F)
 
L’Art Sacré. Website about art and/in the Catholic church. Articles and information. http://lartsacre.canalblog.com  (F)
 
CASA. A Christian guild of volunteers welcomes visitors to religious sites in France every summer. Everyone who is prepared to share the aims of the organisation and is interested in the Christian tradition of such monuments is welcome to participate. www.guidecasa.com (F, E, D, NL)
 
Comité National d’Art Sacré, Paris. National Catholic organisation which represents the church and deals with the state in matters of restoration, commissions, closure of churches etc. https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commission_dioc%C3%A9saine_d%27art_sacr%C3%A9 (F)
 
International Center of Stained-glass, Chartres. The International Stained-Glass Centre, established in 1980, collaborates with the relevant scientific, cultural and professional organizations in order to promote the study and conservation of stained glass and contributes to encourage its contemporary forms of expression. By organizing workshops, cultural heritage classes, practical training courses, exhibitions of ancient and modern stained glass and guided visits, the Centre is fulfilling its mission of diffusing information about stained-glass art. The museum workshop and its documentation centre provide the opportunity to become acquainted with the different stages in the design of stained-glass and to acquire knowledge about the art and techniques of medieval and contemporary stained-glass artists. www.centre-vitrail.org/en/homepage,442.html (F, E)
 
Protetantisme et Images. An association of art historians, artists, theologians and art lovers in the Protestant churches. Organises exhibitions, lectures and courses. The website contains a lot of information. www.protestantismeetimages.com (F) 
 
Vitrail De France. Website with information about French glass and window design and production. www.vitrail.com/vdef2som.htm (F)
 
 
GERMANY
 
Artheon, Frankfurt/M. International and ecumenical society for contemporary art and the church. Artheon wants to enhance the practice and theory of contemporary art in Lutheran churches and stimulates dialogue between artists, curators, philosophers, theologians and building committees. Artheon organises lectures, conferences and exhibitions. www.artheon.de (D)

Gemeinschaft christlicher Künstler Erzdiözese Freiburg. Brings together visual artists and architects in the archdiocese Freiburg to work towards a renewal of religious art. Meetings, lectures, exhibitions, publications. www.gck-freiburg.de (D)
 
Glasmalerei. Research institute for 20th-century windows. Documentation, collecting, research, scientific presentation of results. www.glasmalerei-ev.de (D,NL)
 
Kirchbautag. Website of the Evangelischer Kirchbautag and the Institut für Kirchenbau und kirchliche Kunst der Gegenwart, Marburg. With a lot of info and a newsletter about church architecture and contemporary art in the Lutheran church. www.kirchbautag.de (D)
 
Kunstdienst Dresden. Visual formation, exhibitions in churches and advice for the Lutheran congregations in Sachsen as to paintings, sculpture, graphic art, paraments and church decoration. www.evlks.de/arbeitsfelder/kunst_und_kultur/2390.html (D)
 
Marienberger Vereinigung für evangelische Paramentik e.V. In the Marienberger society for Lutheran textiles many textile workshops of the Lutheran church and private ones have come together. It also is a forum for technical, liturgical, theological and artistic aspects of the paraments and other textiles fort he church. https://marienberger-vereinigung.de/werkstaetten/ (D)
 
Paramentenwerkstatt der Diakonie in Neuendettelsau. The oldest workshop for Lutheran textiles in Germany. www.paramentenwerkstatt.de (D)
 
Stiftung Kunst und Kirche, Königstraße 54, Hamburg. An ecumenical resource centre for Christian art, which has a library (Nordelbischen Kirchenbibliothek) with 7000 books about Christian art in all centuries, a collection of 5000 20th-century graphic works that can be hired for exhibitions, and 30.000 slides about art and architecture. Organises lectures, courses, excursions and exhibitions. https://kkd.nordkirche.de/stiftung-kunst-kirche/ueber-uns.html (D)
 
Stiftung St. Matthäus, St. Matthäus -Kirche, Matthäikirchplatz, Berlin. Open on Tuesday – Sunday 12 a.m. – 6 p.m. Wants to encourage the engagement with contemporary art and the dialogue between artists, the church and theology. This is the art and culture foundation of the Lutheran church of Berlin-Brandenburg-schlesische Oberlausitz. The activities of the foundation take place especially at the St. Matthäus-Kirche and the Dom island in Brandenburg. Lectures and exhibitions. Every last Thursday of the month: Discussion of one work of art led by an art historian and a theologian. www.stiftung-stmatthaeus.de (D) 
 
Verein für christliche Kunst im Erzbistum Köln und Bistum Aachen e.V. Engages itself for the preservation of old artworks in churches and encourages contemporary art in the church. Meetings, excursions and publications deal with old and new art. https://www.vck.de/verein/ (D)
 
Verein für christliche Kunst in der Evangelischen Kirche in Bayern aims to help congregations with matters of building and interior design, windows, sculptures etc. https://www.kunst-kirche-bayern.de/verein-fuer-christliche-kunst-in-der-elkb-e-v/#:~:text=Der%20Verein%20f%C3%BCr%20Christliche%20Kunst,Kunst%2D%20und%20Gestaltungsfragen%20zu%20beraten. (D)
 
 
THE NETHERLANDS
 
Arsprodeo. Website with contemporary Christian art for churches and individuals. www.arsprodeo.nl (NL)
 
Paramentica. Brings together collections and information about ecclesiatical paraments and textiles from all over Europe. http://paramentica.wordpress.com (NL)  
 
Platform Kerk en Kunst. This platform of various organizations active in the area of the church and the visual arts aims to encourage and stimulate the integration of the arts in the life of congregations. It connects artists and churches and organizes symposiums and exhibitions. http://www.platformkerkenkunst.nl (NL) 
 
Prof. Dr G. van der Leeuw Stichting, meeting centre of church and art with an open eye to what is happening in contemporary culture. www.vanderleeuwstichting.nl (NL)
 
Stichting Docete in Utrecht publishes resources for religious education and cards and posters of contemporary religious art. http://www.docete.nl (NL)
 
Van der Laan Stichting, Vaals, encourages and develops architecture based on the thinking of dom Hans van der Laan (1904-1991). http://www.vanderlaanstichting.nl/index.php (NL,E)
 
 
NORWAY
 
Den Norske Kirke: Kirke – Kunst – Kultur. Pages on the website of the Norwegian (Lutheran) Church about church architecture, visual art, music and the cultural department. www.kirken.no/?event=doLink&famID=105288 (No)
 
 
SCOTLAND
 
The Scottish Redundant Churches Trust (SRCT) was established to secure the survival of outstanding churches threatened with closure. By acquiring these churches and by conserving them intact as historic buildings, the SRCT aims to preserve a valuable part of Scotland’s heritage for the future. www.srct.org.uk (E)
 
 
SWITZERLAND
 
Jura Vitraux. Extensive website about old and contemporary windows in churches in the Swiss Jura. https://jura-vitraux.ch/ (F)
 
Orgues et Vitraux. Website with a lot of information about organs worldwide and windows especially in Switzerland and France. www.orgues-et-vitraux.ch (F)
 
Schweizerischer Fachverband für Glasmalerei – Association professional Suisse du vitrail. Professional organisation for glass artists. With an elaborate website. www.vitrail-suisse.ch (F, D)
 
St. Lukasgesellschaft für Kunst und Kirche. Large ecumenical organisation for visual artists, architects, theologians, art historians, etc. Publishes journal Forum Kunst und Kirche. Links to websites of many artists and organisations. www.lukasgesellschaft.ch (D)
 
Vitrocentre, Au Château, Case postale 225, Romont. Centre Suisse de Recherche sur le Vitrail et les Arts du Verre. Swiss Research Centre for windows and glass art. www.vitrocentre.ch (F)