When Daniel van Heyst, associate professor of drama and visual art at King’s University College, read Andy Crouch’s recent book called Culture Making, he just knew that the message had to reach as wide an audience as possible.
That’s why he is promoting an interdisciplinary conference with the same title as the book and Crouch himself will make an appearance as the keynote speaker when the event opens tonight.
“Roy Berkenbosch [the conference’s director] … recommended that I read it. He challenged me to collaborate with fellow artists in making an exhibit in response to Andy’s big ideas,” van Heyst explained.
Those big ideas, he continued, discuss how Christians react to the criticisms of popular culture while encouraging them to instead take a leading role at the forefront of our culture.
Crouch’s book details his insight into what makes culture and how Christians can step up to the plate.
“It’s what we do in response to that to continue making culture, evolving it, shaping it in directions that conform with our beliefs, or failing to do so,” van Heyst continued. “His book is a call to Christians to be actively engaged as culture makers — not creating an alternative culture but to participate as well-informed and well-connected members of the prevailing culture in which we live.”
To that end, there is an art exhibit that will be one of the highlights of the conference but will stay up well past when the speakers leave the building. The show will feature three members of St. Albert’s renowned Visual Arts Studio Association, including Diane Way, Frank van Veen and Douglas Fraser.
Way was thrilled with the opportunity.
“To be part of the university experience, part of a group of very well-known artists … I feel good to be part of that!” she exclaimed.
Culture Making: Recovering Our Creative Calling takes place today and tomorrow at King’s University College, located at 9125 50 St. in Edmonton. Crouch’s presentation takes place at 7 p.m. tonight and will also feature guest speaker John Franklin.
The conference is free of charge and open to the public.
The art show held in conjunction with the event runs until Saturday, Nov. 5. Way and van Veen will be in attendance.
To learn more, call 780-465-3500 or visit www.kingsu.ca.