Venue: The Pencil Factory, Keswick and Keswick countryside
Cost: £90 / £65 student
Meals: All meals included
Accommodation: Not included (Skiddaw Street can be booked)
Timings: 25th – 27th April 2025
An exciting weekend of Art and creativity
An exciting weekend of art and creativity with Ally Gordon and guests
The workshop will feature Bible teaching slots in the mornings and practical sessions in the afternoon out and about around Keswick. Each session will be rooted in scripture and illustrated with examples from art.
This year there will be specific streams for VISUAL ARTISTS and WRITERS.
There will be time to meet other Christians in the Arts, enjoy the beautiful Lakes and make some art while you’re here!
" An amazing opportunity to connect with other artists of faith and learn helpful skills in a stunning landscape!"
Key Note Speakers
Alastair Gordon
Matt Searles
Alastair is a London based artist, lecturer and a founding director of Morphē Arts, a mentoring charity for Christians in the Creative Arts. He is a regular speaker at Christian events but works professionally in the art world. Alastair is course leader for the professional practice programme at the Leith School of Art, Edinburgh.
Matt loves helping people delve deeper into the riches of God’s word, and particularly loves Biblical Theology, seeing God’s one glorious plan of salvation through the scriptures. Having served in local church ministry for a number of years, he now works for Crosslands Seminary, equipping others to teach God’s word. He is married to Toni, has a daughter Annie, and describes himself as a tea-drinker and countryside lover.
Kez de Jong
John Grumitt
Victoria D’Cruz
Kez is a multidisciplinary artist and art tutor based in Farnham, Surrey, teaching from her home studio. She exhibits and sells her work and also takes personal commissions.
Kez loves helping unlock creativity and confidence in others and is passionate about encouraging people of all experience levels in their creativity and faith.
Kez is also a qualified product designer, a pastor’s wife and before three children came along, was a secondary school DT teacher. She now has a crazy puppy as well, who won’t yet sit still long enough for a portrait!
John is a singer-songwriter based in Saltburn-by-the-Sea at the very northern tip of North Yorkshire. He can be found singing with local shanty group the Saltburn Smugglers or leading musical worship at Teesside Vineyard Church. He describes himself as a musician who teaches English as a foreign language to pay for it.
Victoria Hazael is both a performance and published poet. She’s a former BBC journalist who now focuses on writing creatively. She combines working part-time as the digital editor for a top global brand and finishing her first novel, with raising her children. Victoria also supports writers by running a writing group in Surrey and hosts spoken word events. She performs using her maiden name Victoria D’Cruz which means ‘victory of the cross’.
Course Details
This course is for those who are keen visual artists and writers who want to meet other Christians with an interest in art and writing.
The weekend begins of Friday evening with registration, an evening meal and a chance to meet each other.
Ally Gordon will teach the morning Bible sessions on Saturday and Sunday followed by afternoon workshops or time to explore the wonderful landscape of Keswick.
There is time in the evening to review the day and share each others artwork.
To view the event timetable, click here.
Workshops
Mixed Media Workshop
Saturday with Kez – Join us on a relaxing mixed media workshop, working in the beautiful Keswick landscape. We will be creating handmade concertina sketchbooks using inks, paints, charcoals, and other materials to respond to the stunning landscapes.
Sunday with Kez – Join us for a printmaking workshop, using Tetra Pak ( yes orange juice cartons! ) to capture smaller details and create beautiful prints. You will return home with a unique print reflecting your time in Keswick
Writing Workshop
Whether you write or want to write poetry, short stories, children’s books, novels or non-fiction books or articles. Come for an affordable creative weekend in Keswick. You’ll hear from God’s word and have time, space and a dedicated writing place – with inspiring views to encourage you with your writing projects.
There’ll be short writing workshops to help you unlock your creativity led by poet Victoria D’Cruz. Plus, a chance to meet other christian writers and artists to talk about or share your writing in a supportive setting.
The writing workshops run alongside art workshops, so you can pick and choose to do a bit of both writing and painting too.
Whether you are a seasoned author, write secular or Christian work or are just exploring the desire to write more, come and be inspired to use the creative gifts God has given you.
Workshop 1 – Lifting your eyes
Finding inspiration in the big picture and the details of God’s creation.
How writing prompts can help our writing flow.
Stream of consciousness writing exercises.
How to create future writing prompts from this weekend’s writing to help you in the future.
Workshop 2 – How to craft your words
The art of writing poetry, prayer and songs.
Erasure poems exercise.
Word choices.
How to read through your work and be your own supportive writing friend.
Cost and Venue
The course will be held at Keswick Ministries Pencil Factory, in Keswick Cumbria. Costs for the event are as follows:
- £90 registration fee
- £65 student registration
Lunches and evening meals are included in the cost of the event. Please note that all our food is bought in or prepared by a caterer. We are able to provide food for the following diets: dairy free, lactose intolerant, coeliac, gluten-free, vegetarian, and combinations of those. You will be asked on the registration form of any dietary needs.
Accommodation is not included and should be organised on an individual basis. There are plenty of bed and breakfasts, hostels, hotels and self-catering cottages to choose from in Keswick.
Keswick Ministries has a number of rooms at our Skiddaw St Centre available for Bed and Breakfast. Rooms will be available to book on a first come, first serve basis. For information about this please contact bookings@keswickministries.org.
To register and pay please complete the registration form or for further information contact Carolyn at tandt@keswickministries.org or on 017687 80075 option 4.
Cancellation Policy
We understand that there may be situations in which you need to cancel your place. Cancellations made up to 7 days before the event will receive 90% refund. Cancellations made less than 7 days before the event will receive 50% refund. Cancellations made on the day of the event will not receive a refund.