Artist-in-Residence / Worship Arts Fellow
Ruakh Arts is a nonprofit that builds bridges between artists and church leaders so that they can creatively and collaboratively cultivate beauty and vibrancy within Christian communities.
We are seeking artists of various types to be part of the '26-'27 Richmond Worship Arts Fellowship (RWAF). This nine-month program includes a paid internship as a Worship Artist in Residence at a partner church/institution in metropolitan Richmond, VA. Fellows receive vocational and Christian discipleship, one-on-one mentoring, and leadership opportunities. This program is in collaboration with Leland Seminary and fellows receive a Graduate Certificate in Worship Arts free-of-charge through completion of the program. The program emphasizes worship innovation, combating church disillusionment, and community partnership.
An RWAF Fellow’s weekly responsibilities include:
- Working 24 hours at their host church/institution, involving creative projects, collaboration, staff meetings, worship services, rehearsals, and supervisor meetings.
- Attending a weekly Roundtable Dinner for discussions on The Place of the Artist in God's World
- Spending intentional time with their host family once a week.
- Participating in 1-2 graduate-level courses each semester with in-person and online classes.
- Collaborating on organizing and hosting an arts workshop for youth and/or adults in the spring.
- Observing a weekly Sabbath day for rest and restoration.
For more details, visit www.ruakharts.com/rwaf.
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One of our host churches is First Baptist Church (FBCA) in Ashland, VA (about 30 minutes from downtown Richmond). Artists of particular interest to FBCA include photographers, writers, visual artists, and multidisciplinary artists (such as someone with a theater background may bring).
FBCA Culture: FBCA is a church community beginning to live on-mission in a tangible way. After years of re-missioning, they are actively seeking ways to serve their community in the areas of education, food, and housing. Their gatherings are a blended experience, honoring traditions in liturgy and music, while also open to new ways of worshiping together. Their teams are multi-generational, and their people are excited to be doing the work of the kingdom.
Relationships & Supervision (supervisory and collaborative relationships would depend on the type of artist placed). Potential collaborators include:
- Senior Pastor
- Pastor of Worship
- Pastor of Missions and Discipleship Strategies
- Youth Pastor
- Children’s Director
- Director of Administrative Operations
- Choir Director
General Responsibilities Would Likely Include:
- Asset and Needs Mapping for the Congregation
- Executing creative projects as determined in collaboration with their supervisor: Could include art/installations, murals, graphic website design, songwriting, photography, liturgy, response/action moments tied to the themes of services, or even experiences for outside services/during the week (ie - a prayer walk, a place for reflection).
- Creative Ideation around Sermon Series Planning
- Participation in weekly worship services in a diversity of ways
- Organizing lay leaders in creative projects
- Attending regular staff meetings
- Meeting weekly with a supervisor
Collaboration with Creative Team: Work collaboratively with the Senior Pastor, Worship Pastor and other staff members and volunteers to integrate artistic elements seamlessly into the life of the church. Help design overall worship flow, crafting cohesive, creative, and meaningful worship services. Empower the church to live out value of serving neighbors in imitation of Christ.
Creative Input: Actively brainstorm fresh and innovative methods of curating diverse artistic contributions, thinking outside the box of musical Sunday morning worship. Explore what it means to use art as spiritual formation.
Training and Workshops: Provide guidance and training to individuals within the congregation interested in incorporating their artistic talents into the life of the church, fostering a culture of creativity and inclusion.
Stewardship of Artistic Resources: Manage and maintain any artistic resources, props, or equipment needed, ensuring they are used effectively and responsibly.
Community Engagement: Facilitate opportunities for the congregation to express their creativity and talents, fostering a sense of community through artistic expression.
Qualifications & Experience
- Artistic Proficiency: Demonstrated proficiency in artistic medium
- Collaborative Spirit: Ability to work collaboratively with team members to integrate artistic elements into worship services and church culture seamlessly.
- Innovative Thinking: Creative and innovative thinking with a passion for exploring new ways to engage the congregation through artistic expressions.
- Flexibility: Willingness to adapt to the dynamic nature of church ministry, including occasional evening or weekend commitments for special events.
- Passion for Worship: A passion for art and a desire to create meaningful, formative, and spiritually enriching experiences for the congregation.
- Compatibility: Agree to the core values and goals of FBCA, have basic familiarity with the Bible and Christian Doctrine, and be intentional in pursuing God through their own personal spiritual growth.
Hours and Duration: This position is in tandem with Ruakh Art’s Richmond Worship Arts Fellowship (RWAF) which is a 9-month residential program that spans from late August/early September to late May. The artist-in-residence will work part-time, 24 hours each week. The rest of their time is spent participating in other programmatic elements of RWAF (see above for more information).
Compensation: The Worship Artist in Residence will be paid a $1000 monthly stipend, adding up to $9000 overall pre-taxes. They are provided free housing through a host family as well as fully-paid seminary level courses resulting in a Graduate Certificate in Worship Arts from Leland Seminary, RWAF retreats, mentorship, conference attendance for Calvin Symposium of Worship and The Breath & The Clay, weekly roundtable dinners, and more.
Pay: $1,000.00 per month
Benefits:
- Flexible schedule
- Paid training
- Professional development assistance
People with a criminal record are encouraged to apply
Education:
Work Location: In person
