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 East End Fellowship (EEF) in Richmond, VA. Artists of particular interest to EEF include musicians, dancers/choreographers, tech/video editors, and multidisciplinary artists (such as someone with a theater background).
EEf Culture: East End Fellowship is a multi-ethnic, economically diverse worshipping community in the east end of Richmond. We are a network of house churches who gather together on Sundays for public worship. Our mission is to see that every person in the east end of Richmond has multiple opportunities to become part of Jesus’ spiritual family. We are committed to the witness of the gospel in our context, specifically called to racial healing, biblical justice, and proclaiming the radical and counter-cultural ways of God’s Kingdom here on earth.
Our values are
- Holy Spirit Power
- Biblical Discipleship
- Biblical Justice and Mercy
- Spiritual Family
- Intentional Evangelism
East End Fellowship has a long history of appreciating the value that the arts, broadly construed, bring to liturgical spaces and practices. We remain committed to fostering spaces for creative expression that deepen communal discipleship and strengthen our collective witness to the world. The Worship Artist in Residence will further this commitment by both building on current congregational assets and bringing their own gifts, passions, and skill sets to forward God’s mission in the east end of Richmond.
Relationships & Supervision:
- The Worship Artist in Residence would work closely with the Co-Lead Pastor, Worship Leadership, and Director of Family Ministries.
Primary Responsibilities:
- Execute creative projects as determined in collaboration with their supervisor and relevant staff
- Participate in Sunday worship services as is relevant
- Attend weekly staff meeting
Sunday Service Collaboration: Work collaboratively with Creative Director, Worship Leadership, Co-Lead Pastor, and other staff members and volunteers to integrate artistic elements seamlessly into Sunday worship service, helping to craft a cohesive, creative, and meaningful worship service.
Weekday Resourcing: Potential projects could include working collaboratively with the Co-Lead Pastor to develop meaningful artistic activities for house churches that can engage youth as well as adults. Working with the Creative Director to curate, edit, and publish social media content.
Training and Workshops: Provide guidance and training to youth within the congregation who are interested in incorporating their artistic talents into the life of the church, fostering a culture of creativity and inclusion. Potentially assist Ruakh Arts in developing and facilitating a church workshop that discusses the role of the arts in Christian discipleship.
Community Engagement: Facilitate opportunities for the congregation to express their creativity and talents, fostering a sense of community through artistic expression. Support Director of Operations with organizing the annual Variety Show and annual Art Gallery.
Qualifications & Experience
- Artistic Proficiency: Well-trained in your particular craft
- Collaborative Spirit: Ability to work collaboratively with the Creative Director, Worship Leadership, Director of Family Ministries, and Co-Lead Pastor to integrate artistic elements into the worship service 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 worship and a desire to create meaningful, formative, and spiritually enriching experiences for the congregation.
- Compatibility: Agree to the core values and goals of East End Fellowship, 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 Worship Artist in Residence will work part-time, 24 hours each week. The rest of their time is spent participating in other RWAF programming.
Compensation: The Worship Artist in Residence will be provided a $1000 monthly stipend, adding up to $9000 overall. They have optional free housing through a host family as well as free seminary level courses, 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
