Incorporated in Lancaster County, Poiema Visual Arts (PVA) is a Pennsylvania-based network infrastructure facilitating discipleship, education, and community for Christian visual artists. Currently, PVA is operating out of several home offices until it establishes a main office.
In the fall of 2019, a handful of creative individuals met on the campus of Lancaster Bible College to hear the personal story and vision of Jeremy Miller, founder and CEO of PVA. Miller shared how questions regarding faith and art over the last 20 years had led him to dream about a network of Christian visual artists. In September 2020, PVA appointed its first board of directors to help lead and steward the organization. Efforts to procure nonprofit status are currently in progress, and the formation of Miller's dream continues.
During the month of July, PVA will be engaged in a first-time venture called "Summer Art Surprise!" which will focus on children in Lancaster, Dauphin, and York counties. Grab bags containing a clothespin dragonfly project and a nature collage card will be handed out on a first-come, first-served basis. Children must be accompanied by an adult, and a waiver-of-liability form must be signed for participation at the event.
The next two "Summer Art Surprise!" events will take place on Saturday, July 10, and Saturday, July 24. On July 10, PVA will be at Broad Street Park, Akron, from 8:30 a.m. until supplies run out. On July 24, PVA will be at Stillmeadow Church of the Nazarene, 400 Stillmeadow Lane, York, from noon until supplies run out. The July 24 event will be held in conjunction with The Table, a community meal held by Stillmeadow Church of the Nazarene for neighbors of its city campus.
"As a Christian ministry, we believe creativity is a gift of God," stated Miller. "Our hope is to encourage children to see the joy of creating as an extension of a God who loves them."
This September, PVA will open its membership program for artists and arts organizations interested in a Christian network. A launch event will occur on Friday, Sept. 24, from 6 to 10 p.m. The event will take place at Warehouse 100, 100 W. Franklin St., New Holland. Artists are encouraged to attend.
A benefit auction is being planned for April 2022 to raise the funds needed to hold PVA's first biennale conference. Biennale is an italian word referring to a large art exhibition held biennially. PVA is searching for artists to donate original or signed prints of their works for the auction. PVA is also looking for businesses to donate gift cards, useful promotional items, or gift baskets to be offered for sale. Individuals interested in helping through a donation can email hello@poiemavisualarts.org. The first biennale arts conference is titled "Finding Our Place: The Artist, the Church, & Placemaking." The conference will be held in July 2023. The keynote speaker will be Jennifer Craft from Point University.
For more information, visit http://www.poiemavisualarts.org or search for "Poiema Visual Arts" on Facebook.
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