About Us
Why The MasterClass Academy™
My desire to develop The MasterClass Academy began more than 13 years ago with my family’s inability to locate strong, growing Christian college theatre programs. Secular artists not only have a variety of strong college fine arts departments to choose from, but additional training in specialized master classes as well. God has given me the desire to meet this need by developing a five-day learning environment for high school and college-aged Christian visual and performing artists.
The MasterClass Academy provides direction, builds confidence, capability, enhanced creativity, leadership, and relationships in youth. We will achieve this by hosting a multi-day conference to teach Christian high school and college artists discipleship and evangelism using their enhanced artistic talents, we create value in their Christian Walk. By exposing Christian artistic youth to Christian master artists in their discipline and other Christian artistic youth, we will build faith communities as the students share their talents and testimony by engaging others for Christ through their art form.
Mission Statement
The MasterClass Academy is an international event for Christian high school and college performing and visual artists. Master classes and workshops, led by Christian artistic professionals, will elevate the talent of our participants by engaging, empowering and transforming young Christian artists using their talents to glorify the Lord. Through these professionals, supported by additional Christian leadership and led by the Holy Spirit, we will empower our participants to enhance the Kingdom, providing a visual, spiritual, and artistic witness to the arts community and the world.
Dates
August 6 - 10, will be the dates of the 2012 event. The Norwegian Sky Cruise Ship leaving from Miami, Florida is our host location.
Goals
The MasterClass Academy goals include providing direction, building confidence, capability, enhanced creativity, leadership, and relationships in youth - all to create value in their Christian Walk and talent. We will achieve this by hosting a multi-day conference to teach Christian high school and college artists discipleship and evangelism using their enhanced artistic talents. By exposing Christian artistic youth to Christian master artists in their discipline and other Christian artistic youth, we will build faith communities as the students share their talents and testimony by engaging others for Christ through their art form.
- To glorify God
I have an overriding passion for the arts, and for people’s involvement in and love of their art. Art touches the human soul. It is a God-given talent that I believe He wants us to excel in for His glory. In order for Him to be glorified, the art has to engage others. Art is a reflection of the time. It reflects and records the questions, anxieties, and love of the time. I (and we at The MasterClass Academy) want Christian art to be in the mainstream of our culture rather than being in the religious subculture.
- To make a permanent transformation in young Christian artists.
The very essence of The MasterClass Academy is transformational. The MasterClass Academy foundation is built to enable continual transformation of the artist’s skills, confidence, excitement, knowledge, capabilities, wisdom, and methods. This in turn will enable creation of new solutions to impact our culture. The staff and faculty want dramatic changes for the better. We look for quantum leaps and artistic breakthroughs. We want our youth to become new, better artists and to use their enhanced skills and training for the Lord. We strive to transform the initial artistic passion into permanency, a lifetime love that grows with continual development.
- To empower young Christian artists to impact our world.
Youth connect with the arts and media because these provide a connection to each other. Today’s young artists will be the major tools of engagement with youth in the future. Many years ago the American and European cultures separated the arts from religion. Today’s Christian artists are being motivated to share their art and their Christianity together as one: Not being driven to performing or creating “Christian Art” but performing and creating art as a Christian. Many are therefore creating art that permeates society and challenges conventional thinking of the world; all for the glory of God. Jesus is the Light of the World; one can write songs about the light, or one can write songs about what one can see from the light.
- To provide professorial training in a professional environment.
There is a need and want for a higher level of training specifically geared toward Christian artistic youth. We provide a safe, highly respected venue, international professional faculty, master classes, workshops, panels, and four evening programs featuring faculty and student participants.
- To create an active network of Christian artists.
Our youth increase their artistic talents and build their networks with professional artists and peers. We also provide a network of Christian fine arts colleges/universities and international ministry organizations.
The MasterClass Academy is a charitable project of the United District Program and is therefore operating under their 501©3 non profit designation.
For more information contact John S. Freeman, Executive Director of The MasterClass Academy, at info@themasterclass.org or call 317-590-6034.
