Vision Statement: To glorify God by serving as a catalyst for the development of Christian art and artists in and around the city of Houston.
Mission Statement: We foster production of high-quality Christian art for the benefit of the Houston community by creating opportunities for the promotion and growth of Christian artists through collaboration between various Christian churches and faith-based organizations.
Belief Statement: We are a non-denominational Christian organization and our beliefs can be defined by the Nicene Creed. We believe that artists are a living reflection of God as Creator and invaluable members of the Body of Christ. Supporting artists fulfills a fundamental need of a healthy Christian community.
The Christian community is a mosaic of redeemed human beings with a wide range of theological beliefs. We choose to focus on the beliefs we share as Christians and the common desire to support artists in our communities. Participating in Art For the City activities does not imply one venue agrees completely with the theological beliefs of any other venue. Instead, we agree to celebrate what we have in common and respect the right of individuals and individual venues to disagree and have their own specific theologies. We ask that participating venues not use Art for the City events and activities as opportunities to demean or promote divisive theological agendas.
Mission Statement: We foster production of high-quality Christian art for the benefit of the Houston community by creating opportunities for the promotion and growth of Christian artists through collaboration between various Christian churches and faith-based organizations.
Belief Statement: We are a non-denominational Christian organization and our beliefs can be defined by the Nicene Creed. We believe that artists are a living reflection of God as Creator and invaluable members of the Body of Christ. Supporting artists fulfills a fundamental need of a healthy Christian community.
The Christian community is a mosaic of redeemed human beings with a wide range of theological beliefs. We choose to focus on the beliefs we share as Christians and the common desire to support artists in our communities. Participating in Art For the City activities does not imply one venue agrees completely with the theological beliefs of any other venue. Instead, we agree to celebrate what we have in common and respect the right of individuals and individual venues to disagree and have their own specific theologies. We ask that participating venues not use Art for the City events and activities as opportunities to demean or promote divisive theological agendas.
History: The idea that became Art for the City was born out of an art show, a breakfast, and a calling. The art show was called “Psalms for the City” and was (probably?) the first Christian multi-site art show in the city of Houston. It was held at just two churches, but the idea took root. In the same year, representatives from a diverse group of Christian arts organizations around the city began meeting together at breakfast for the purposes of fellowship, encouragement, and collaboration. Finally, one individual felt called by God to put both ideas together.
Director - Eric Hartley is an artist who works in architecture and has been curating art shows since 2005. To date, he has been involved with curating over 50 art shows. He was involved with Xnihilo Gallery from 2004 to 2010, first as a volunteer, then as curator and co-founder of the gallery’s board of directors. Since then, he has curated shows for Kaleo, Imago, Houston Vineyard’s Art’s Guild, The 429, [ITN] Collective, and A 2nd Cup. As an artist, he has had his work is over 50 shows since 1999. To see Eric’s art, visit 538studio.com
Critical Geography // Curator// Paula Hammon is a Digital and Analog Photographer.
Let Them Be Free // Juror // Deji Osinulu is a professional photographer who grew up in Lagos, Nigeria in a family of photography lovers. He moved to Houston in 1996 to attend graduate school and has made Houston home ever since. He got back into photography about 15 years ago after buying an old camera off a friend, and what started as a hobby soon became a full time profession. He is currently working on a project called Pluribus, a series of portraits exploring the phrase "e pluribus unum", and a few questions surrounding that notion. Since almost all of us either descend from immigrants or are immigrants, what does it mean to assimilate vs integrate? What is gained by or lost in that process to each succeeding generation from the generations that came before them?
Former Assistant Director - John M. Robertson
Former Assistant Director - Carole Sconfitto
Amplify Curator - Darrell Williams
Adviser Extraordinaire - Eric Reed
Director - Eric Hartley is an artist who works in architecture and has been curating art shows since 2005. To date, he has been involved with curating over 50 art shows. He was involved with Xnihilo Gallery from 2004 to 2010, first as a volunteer, then as curator and co-founder of the gallery’s board of directors. Since then, he has curated shows for Kaleo, Imago, Houston Vineyard’s Art’s Guild, The 429, [ITN] Collective, and A 2nd Cup. As an artist, he has had his work is over 50 shows since 1999. To see Eric’s art, visit 538studio.com
Critical Geography // Curator// Paula Hammon is a Digital and Analog Photographer.
Let Them Be Free // Juror // Deji Osinulu is a professional photographer who grew up in Lagos, Nigeria in a family of photography lovers. He moved to Houston in 1996 to attend graduate school and has made Houston home ever since. He got back into photography about 15 years ago after buying an old camera off a friend, and what started as a hobby soon became a full time profession. He is currently working on a project called Pluribus, a series of portraits exploring the phrase "e pluribus unum", and a few questions surrounding that notion. Since almost all of us either descend from immigrants or are immigrants, what does it mean to assimilate vs integrate? What is gained by or lost in that process to each succeeding generation from the generations that came before them?
Former Assistant Director - John M. Robertson
Former Assistant Director - Carole Sconfitto
Amplify Curator - Darrell Williams
Adviser Extraordinaire - Eric Reed
