Explore Your Passions

You've discovered your passions, so now comes the fun part, exploring them! We highly suggest attending Karitos Indy '13 in May if you are in the Indianapolis area. It will be a fantastic place to not only delve into your passions, but also grow in them and meet others just like you. However, you don't have to wait until then. There are plenty of great resources right in your backyard where you can explore your passions. Here are just a few!

Attend local drama, music or dance performances

• There is nothing like a live production to get those creative juices flowing and to put excitement for arts back into your soul. Make sure to check out the info table and lobby to learn more about the performers and/or organization. You might ignite a new relationship by meeting people that share your same heart for a particular cause or area of art.

• Peruse the program and see if any other productions catch your eye for the future. Also check out the sponsors and ads for great references to other like-minded art groups.

Take a class

• Explore information about the hosting organization, such as the the Statement of Beliefs, on their website or printed materials. You may find yourself in a sticky situation if you are asked to participate in something where you do not agree. It is better to know ahead and ask the leaders any questions that you may have.

• If you don't receive confirmation for your registration, contact the organization to make sure you are registered. Also, make sure you know where you are to park, what you should wear and any other details that would be helpful.

• Be open to new ways of doing things. Teachers often have a personal style or method, so don't be surprised if it isn't the same as what you have learned in the past. Still gleam what you can from the instruction and don't allow yourself to be frustrated with the things that are different.

Visit an art gallery or showing

• Check out the website to see what specialty exhibits and presentations are being offered. Many of these require an additional cost, but sometimes they do not. Being prepared will make sure you have enough money on hand.

• Give yourself some wiggle room. You would be surprised how long you will want to look at some exhibits, so allow yourself about an hour of extra time so you don't feel rushed to leave.

• Look up the prices of concessions and/or restaurants. These can sometimes be quite pricey, so make sure to look up the cost ahead of time and plan accordingly. Many places, such as the Indianapolis Art Museum (IMA), offer places where you can enjoy sacked lunches.

Participate in your church

• Your home church is an excellent place to begin your search in serving through the arts. If you are part of a larger congregation, you probably could start researching by visiting the church website. However, if your church is smaller, it may take a more personalized approach. Contact your worship arts or senior pastor and set up an appointment to share with them what talents and passions you have. They often don't have the ability to post all opportunities, so letting them know your heart will be key to finding your place to serve.

• Additionally, you as a creative person, may begin to see places that could use your skills. For example, calligraphy for posters and/or wall plaques, drama sketches during VBS or in the youth team, artwork for the hallways, poetry shared during services, writing for the church website.

• Be prepared to be open to ideas and suggestions for ways you can serve within your congregation. Doors may come that aren't in your particular "passion" by might be the opening to work there in the future. Pray about each and every opportunity and the Lord will lead you.

Join an artists group

• You can find a number of artists groups in your area by doing a simple Google search of key words such as "Visual artists Indianapolis" or similar. There are also Facebook groups that you can search or visit meetup.com.

• If a group doesn't have a website, contact the organizer to find out what the flow of a typical meeting is like. You can also ask questions about the leader(s) themselves, which will reveal a great deal about how the group is led.

• Before agreeing to any kind of contract of membership, visit the group a few times. You don't want to put yourself in an uncomfortable position of backing out if you don't line up on values and methods. And as always, pray before signing.

Visit our page of ministry partner & friends for people we recommend getting to know. On their sites, you will likely find out even more more great opportunities that aren't listed here. We are always here to lend a helping hand in helping you find resources, so contact susannah@1heartarts.org with any questions. Happy exploring!

Some great resources to get you started

• ATTEND - We hold a monthly artists connection events where you can meet other area artists that are like yourself. The next one will be attending CYT's "Tom Sawyer" on Nov. 17th. We will meet for dinner and then sit together at the show.

• PERFORM - Our friends Two for the Show host an open mic night each 1st Friday from 6-8 pm in Martinsville . All types of performers and skill levels welcome! Contact Jim Harris at jwharrisjr@prodigy.net.

• DANCE - Our friends at Sacred Dance Institute are offering Masterclasses to all levels of dancers for only $20 on Dec. 2nd from 3-6 pm. Classes for both youth and adults available.

• VISIT - Both the Art Bank in Indy and the Indiana Art Sanctuary offer open gallery nights each month. These typically feature not only great visual artists, but many musical and literary guests as well. Check out our friends the Howies at the next Art Bank on Nov.

• SING - Our friend Evelyn Johnson at Indy Voice Studio is a great place to check out if you want to get back into singing. She works with all ages, musical genres, skill levels and voice types. Evelyn holds a Masters in voice from IU and offers very reasonable rates.

• JOIN - Writers of all genres are welcome to join a great group that we attend. The Morgan County Writers Group offers participants the opportunity an encouraging atmosphere to share your work for critique and receive great resources for submitting your work. Meets the first Friday of each month in Mooresville. Contact Barbara Manning at barbandgary1986@live.com for more details.