Arts and Entertainment Ministries

TRANSFORMING MAINSTREAM CULTURE, THE ART WORLD, AND THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY BY TRAINING CULTURAL INFLUENCERS IN PRACTICAL BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES. THE CULTURAL INFLUENCERS WE EQUIP ARE PRIMARILY 1) ARTISTS AND CREATIVE PROFESSIONALS, 2) ACADEMICS, AND 3) PASTORS AND LEADERS IN THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY.

VALUE OF DONATED OFFICE SPACE IS ESTIMATED AT 12,000. VALUE OF THE DONATED SPACE IS NOT REFLECTED AS EITHER CONTRIBUTION INCOME OR RENT EXPENSE IN THE FORM 990. THE ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT INSTITUTE (AEI) IS A TWO DAY INSTITUTE WHICH TRAINS CHRISTIANS OF ALL DENOMINATIONS IN A PRACTICAL CHRISTIAN WORLDVIEW FOR THEIR ENGAGING THE MAINSTREAM CULTURE. AEI COURSES EQUIP PEOPLE WITH PRACTICAL BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES SPECIFICALLY APPLIED TO THEIR PARTICULAR GENRE OF ART, ENTERTAINMENT, OR MEDIA. THIS COURSE IS THE ONLY ONE OF ITS KIND, AND IS BASED ON OVER 15 YEARS OF TEACHING, DISCIPLING, AND EQUIPPING ARTISTS IN NEW YORK, LOS ANGELES AND OVERSEAS. EVENING OF ART AND ENTERTAINMENT (THE PROGRAM IS ON HIATUS) IS AN ART SHOW UNLIKE ANY OTHER. THIS SHOW PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ARTISTS TO EXHIBIT ARTWORK WHICH IS INTENDED FOR A MAINSTREAM AUDIENCE WHILE BEING CONSISTENT WITH A CHRISTIAN WORLDVIEW. FROM SHORT FILMS, TO ALL TYPES OF VISUAL ART AND SCULPTURE TO GRAPHIC DESIGN, PHOTOGRAPHY, SHORT STORY READINGS, SPOKEN WORD, DANCE THEATRE AND MUCH MORE. THIS EVENT NOW DRAWS ARTIST SUBMISSIONS INTERNATIONALLY, AND HAS BECOME THE PREMIER EVENT IN LOS ANGELES FOR CHRISTIANS WORKING IN THE MAINSTREAM ARENA OF ART, MEDIA, AND ENTERTAINMENT. USUALLY 20% OF THE AUDIENCE IS NON-CHRISTIANS, BUT BOTH CHRISTIANS AND NON-CHRISTIANS ARE CHALLENGED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE FOR CHRISTIANS TO CREATE EXCELLENT ART WITHOUT 1) CREATING SOMETHING 'CLICHE', 2) CREATING SOMETHING 'PREACHY' (PROPAGANDA FOR PROSELYTIZING), NOR 3)COMPROMISING THEIR FAITH. FROM ACADEMY AWARD WINNERS TO OTHERS LATER SEEN AT THE KENNEDY CENTER, PEOPLE ARE CONSISTENTLY SURPRISED BY THE QUALITY OF THE WORK, THE CALIBER OF THE ARTISTS, AND THE ELEGANT PROFESSIONALISM OF THE EVENING. ONLINE RESOURCES (ACCESSED ONLINE BY PEOPLE FROM OVER 90 COUNTRIES): ARTICLES AND PODCASTS: RESPONDING TO THE ENORMOUS DEMAND FROM ARTISTS AND PASTORS NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY, AEM IS TAKING CONTENT CREATED FOR OUR LOCAL AEI ARTIST FORUMS AND PLACING THEM ONLINE SO THAT CHRISTIANS AROUND THE WORLD CAN ACCESS THESE LECTURES. PARTICULAR AREAS OF FOCUS ARE THOSE ON CULTURAL RENEWAL, THE ROLE OF ART WITHIN THE CULTURE, AND THE CHALLENGE OF LIVING FOR GOD IN A SECULAR WORLD. AEI ALUMNI ARTIST FORUMS IS A YEAR LONG ALUMNI PROGRAM FOR GRADUATES OF THE ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT INSTITUTE. THE FORUMS ARE TOPICAL IN SUBJECT MATTER. THEY PROVIDE PRACTICAL TEACHING AND IN DEPTH DISCUSSION, COMBINED WITH A SAFE ENVIRONMENT WHERE PARTICIPANTS CAN SHARE THEIR STRUGGLES AND FIND OTHERS WHO UNDERSTAND AND WHO WILL PRAY FOR THEM. REAL ANSWERS FOR REAL ARTISTS IS AN ONLINE VIDEO SERIES CREATED IN ORDER TO PROVIDE BRIEF, SUCCINCT ANSWERS TO CRITICAL QUESTIONS CREATIVES ARE ASKING TODAY. THIS IS A RECENTLY LAUNCHED PROGRAM, BUT WE ARE ALREADY GETTING A GREAT RESPONSE FROM PASTORS, ACADEMICS, AND CREATIVES. WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS BECOMING A KEY GLOBAL RESOURCE FOR THE ONGOING QUESTIONS ABOUT THE INTERSECTION OF CULTURE AND FAITH. DISCIPLESHIP/MENTORING: AEM HELPS ARTISTS AND CREATIVE PROFESSIONALS GROW AS DISCIPLES, THROUGH OUR MEN'S PRAYER MEETINGS, ONE-ON-ONE DISCIPLESHIP AND OUR MENTOR PROGRAM. A MAJOR WAY WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO REACH CULTURAL INFLUENCERS EFFECTIVELY IS THROUGH OUR MEN'S MEETINGS. IN ATTENDANCE, WE HAVE BOARD MEMBERS OF THE SCREEN ACTORS GUILD, AFTRA, AND ACTORS EQUITY ASSOCIATION. WE ALSO HAVE PRODUCERS, SCREENWRITERS, CREATIVE PROFESSIONALS WORKING AT CAA, PROFESSIONAL MUSICIANS AND SOUND DESIGNERS. THESE STUDIES GIVE AEM AN EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY TO DISCIPLE THESE INDIVIDUALS ON HOW TO BE SALT AND LIGHT WHERE GOD HAS PLACED THEM.