Artist-in-Residence

Artist-in-Residence Program

Westminster Presbyterian Church partners annually with a local artist in a residency program that aims to find new and creative ways to deepen the congregation’s experience of faith and connection to one another. Through this program, Westminster seeks to nurture and support the faithful artistic ministry of the Artist-in-Residence, providing a stipend and a platform for the artist to share their creations both with the Westminster community and beyond. Artists of all mediums and disciplines are encouraged to apply. We actively seek a diverse representation of peoples and arts to find new ways to encourage faith formation in our community.

Each residency is uniquely shaped as a collaboration between the selected artist and Westminster’s Arts Staff, with a goal of interfacing with a vast intersection of Westminster’s community, including but not limited to: Sunday/Wednesday worship; Adult Education; Families, Youth, and Children (FYC); Social Justice ministries; and Congregational Care ministries. Although each residency runs from September through May, our hope is that the end of each engagement marks the beginning of a lasting relationship between the artist and the Westminster community.

2022-2023 Artist-in-Residence: Sam Bardwell

Westminster is thrilled to welcome Sam Bardwell as the Artist-in-Residence for the 2022-2023 program year. Sam is an actor and educator who has performed on stages and in sanctuaries across the Twin Cities and beyond. He does outreach with Shakespeare work in prisons and local schools and partners with churches to help enliven the reading of scripture in worship. Sam holds a Bachelor of Fine Art in acting from the Guthrie Theater and the University of Minnesota and a Master of Arts in New Testament from Luther Seminary, where he was Artist-in-Residence, and is a member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers.

He lives in North Minneapolis with his wife, Martha, and two children, Naomi and Will. We look forward to getting to know Sam and to the ways he will inspire and challenge us during this Year of Imagination!

When I first accepted the invitation from Director of Worship and the Arts Amanda Weber, I had no idea the opportunity would blossom into unexpected friendships and unprecedented artistic explorations. I haven’t experienced too many faith communities that engage the arts in the dynamic ways Westminster does– it’s been incredibly inspiring and affirming for me as an artist. While many churches struggle to understand how the arts can be a part of spiritual growth and renewal, Westminster has consistently nurtured creativity as an integral part of the community’s DNA.

— Joe Davis, spoken word artist; Artist-in-Residence, 2020-2021

I was excited to bring people together to playfully create beauty and meaning through art. I’m passionate about making and facilitating art that reflects the experiences of a particular community, place and time–in this case, a congregation experiencing both loss and connection during a challenging pandemic year.

— Katherine Parent, artist and musician; Artist-in-Residence, 2021-2022