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The Third Degree

UCCF: Interface Arts - creative students for Christ

The media and creative industries are increasingly influencing British culture and especially student culture. As society changes, UCCF: The Christian Unions remains committed to helping students to live and speak for Jesus with integrity in engaging and culturally relevant ways.

The creative arts can be a difficult place for students to witness, with some being labelled as naive, arrogant or unintelligent for their belief in Christ. Laura, a student studying at the Courtauld Institute, commented: ‘My college can be a depressing, spiritually, as all students come into contact with the Bible at some stage (for their course) but few seem to respond positively or regard it as something relevant for today’

Creative arts students

Central to the vision of UCCF: The Christian Unions is the desire to see Christ glorified in every area of student culture. For the last 40 years UCCF (or TSCF as the arts work has previously fallen under) has trained young artists and designers for a lifetime of ministry in the creative arts. This year, the ministry to creative arts students has undergone a fresh investment of energy and prayer. As a new vision for the arts work has grown, the ministry has been renamed UCCF: Interface Arts.

Gospel opportunities

Creative arts campuses provide great opportunities for the gospel. Often, students are refreshingly open to considering the claims of Christ as part of their exploration of new ideas and broadening of artistic horizons.

UCCF: Interface Arts aims to encourage creative arts students to boldly proclaim the good news of Christ to their friends and peers who think a little differently from students at mainstream universities.

‘Recently we have started a new CU at my college. We have seen amazing growth already in this CU. Next year we hope to put on more evangelistic events but also encourage people with everyday evangelism for their family and friends.’ (Becky, London College of Communications.)

Arts conference

This term saw the launch of UCCF’s first creative arts conference. Over 80 people attended, many of whom were students but with some practising artists as well. Among the speakers were Ellis Potter (converted monk and now independent missionary), Peter Smith (Head of the School of Art, Design and Media at Kingston College), and Steve Turner (rock journalist, poet, writer and author of Imagine: A vision for Christians in the Arts) who commented: ‘It’s enough of a problem to be a student in an art college. There are new things to learn and it’s a new stage in life. You’ve just left home and are trying to relate your faith to this new world. It can be really helpful to read the right books and meet the right people, so coming to an event like Interface could really support you.’

Feedback from the delegates was overwhelmingly positive. Val, an arts student from Edinburgh, said: ’I found it very helpful mixing with other students in the same situation as myself. It’s a rare situation to have other people who are culturally aware and really into contemporary arts music, poetry and drama. This conference really helped me to think through how I should be living in the arts world for God.’

A growing ministry

Over the next five years UCCF: Interface Arts would like to expand its ministry and try to raise support for more regional arts staff workers around the country where they are most needed.

If you are interested in supporting this ministry or would like to find out more, email Ally Gordon, National Arts Staff Worker, at agordon@uccf.org.uk

Pod Bhogal & Ally Gordon

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