Annual Report 2012-13

Incarnation exhibition at Wimbledon Library Gallery

In 2012/13 commission4mission has made a significant contribution to the mission of the Church during the Olympic and Paralympic periods through our involvement in the ‘Run with the Fire’ project. We have also held a launch event in South London, exhibited at venues across London and collaborated with a wide range of visual and performing artists. Our committee has also prepared plans for commission4mission to have a greater online presence from 2013 onwards.

During 2012/13 commission4mission has:

• completed our ninth commission, heads of Christ and Mary Magdalene as painted wooden reliefs, by Peter Webb for Dagenham Park Church of England School;
• exhibited at All Saints West Ham, the Strand Gallery as part of the Pentecost Festival, All Saints Woodford Wells as part of the Barking Episcopal Area Arts Festival and at Wimbledon Library Gallery for a Christmas show entitled ‘Incarnation’ curated by Wendy McTernan;
• contributed to Run with the Fire, in partnership with CANA and Veritasse, which saw events run using the digital exhibition in Aldersbrook, California, Devonport, Harlow, Leicester, London, Sacramento, Streatham and Woodford;

Steve Scott performing at the Run with the Fire exhibition’s launch night

• organised art talks (by Jonathan Evens, Mark Lewis, Glenn Lowcock and Steve Scott), an art demonstration by Harvey Bradley, a Big Draw workshop led by Mark Lewis, Francesca Ross and Peter Webb, and performance evenings featuring Colin Burns, Tim Cunningham, Jonathan Evens, Jane Grell, Malcolm Guite, Alan Hitching, Jenny Houghton, Tamsin Kendrick and Steve Scott;
• published, through Seed Resources, a collection of images and meditations on the Passion of Christ by Jonathan Evens and Henry Shelton; 
• contributed articles by Jonathan Evens, Helen Gheorghui Gould and Steven Saxby to a special arts edition of franciscan magazine; 
• donated £668.46 to Safer Places, in support of their work with victims of domestic abuse, this being the charitable element from our third year of operation. 

We are very grateful to: all members for their support and involvement; all committee members (Harvey Bradley, Rev. Helen Gheorghiu Gould, Mark Lewis, Wendy McTernan, Henry Shelton and Peter Webb - Chair) for their direction and guidance; our Patron, Bishop David, for his ideas and interest; and Ranjit Solomon for his independent examination of our accounts.

Rev. Jonathan Evens, Secretary – June 2013

AGM & Annual Report

The AGM for commission4mission was held today at All Saints West Ham. The evening included: a drinks reception; viewing of the c4m exhibition located at All Saints; Colin Burns performing tracks from his debut album Emerald&Gold; a talk by Mark Lewis on 'Stanley Spencer - A visionary of our time' followed by personal reminiscences of Spencer as art tutor at the RCA from Joy Rousell Stone. The evening concluded with the AGM itself.

Annual Report 2011-12

Commissions at All Saints Hutton, St John’s Seven Kings & St Margaret’s Great Ilford

In 2011/12, our third year of operation, commission4mission has continued to develop its work, made key decisions for its future, and undertaken work in partnership with other arts and faith organisations.

During 2011/12 commission4mission has:

·        completed commissions for artworks at All Saints Hutton, St John’s Seven Kings and St Margaret’s Great Ilford;

·        gained commissions for artworks at Christ Church ThamesView and Dagenham Park Church of England School;

·        maintained a changing display of member’s work at All Saints West Ham and organised exhibitions at Holy Trinity with St Augustine of Hippo Leytonstone, St Martin-in-the-Fields, St Mary Magdalene Billericay and Tokarska Gallery;

commission4mission exhibition, Crypt Gallery at St Martin-in-the-Fields

·        held an evening of art talks by Dr Graham Gould and Mark Lewis, led with Dr Philip Jenson an art workshop at St Paul’s Harlow which produced a design for a frieze, and organised a Study Day on the value of public art (also at St Paul’s Harlow);

·        worked in partnership with CANA and Veritasse (Run with the Fire, an international art project for churches in the 2012 Olympic year) and also with Art & Christianity Enquiry and Harlow Art Trust (Study Day on the value of public art);

·        completed the Run with the Fire digital exhibition and event guidance materials and produced a DVD containing these materials; and

‘Running Towards The Goal’ by Erland Sibuea,

part of the ‘Run with the Fire’ digital exhibition.

·        produced Condemned, a creative reflection for Lent  illustrated with contemporary art works by seven member artists, accompanied by the words of Isaiah 53;

·        donated £1,568 split between Sightsavers and SmileTrain, this being the charitable element from our second year of operation.

We are very grateful to: all members for their support and involvement; all committee members for their direction and guidance; our Patron, Bishop David, for his ideas and interest; and Ranjit Solomon for his independent examination of our accounts.

Rev. Jonathan Evens, Secretary – May 2012

Annual Report 2010/11

Rt. Revd. Stephen Cottrell, Bishop of Chelmsford launching the Art Trail for the Barking Episcopal Area

In our second full year of operation commission4mission has consolidated its initial achievements, reviewed its strategy, and maintained its growth and development.

During 2010/11 commission4mission has:

• researched, published and launched a Church Art Trail for the Barking Episcopal Area;

Pottery and paintings in our ‘Peacing Together One World’ exhibition at St Mary Magdalen, Billericay

• completed commissions for artworks at All Saints Hutton, St Peter’s Harold Wood, St Edmund’s Tyseley and St Pauls Goodmayes;

• gained commissions for artworks at All Saints Hutton, St John’s Seven Kings, and St Margaret’s Great Ilford;

• maintained a changing display of member’s work at All Saints West Ham and organised exhibitions at St Mary Magdalene Billericay, St Nicholas Rawreth and as part of the West Ham Festival;

• held a networking event and a performance evening and organised a launch event for the Barking Episcopal Area Art Trail;

• worked in partnership with CANA and Veritasse to create ‘Run With The Fire’, an international art project for the London 2012 Olympics;

• completed a strategic development review resulting in work commencing to gain charity registration for commission4mission;

• expanded our membership to 38 (as at 31/03/11) and were joined by Wendy McTernan as regional co-ordinator in South/West London; and

Jonathan Evens and Henry Shelton present the c4m cheque to staff of Haven House.

• presented a cheque for £2,700 to the Haven House Children’s Hospice, this being the charitable element from our first year of operation.

We are very grateful to: all members for their support and involvement; all committee members for their direction and guidance; our Patron, Bishop David, for his ideas and interest; Rev. Helen Gheorghiu Gould for her work on our Strategic Development Review; Mark and Matt Lewis for work on the Barking Episcopal Area Art Trail; Wendy McTernan who joined us as a Regional Co-ordinator; Ranjit Solomon for his independent examination of our accounts; and to London-over-the-Border for their generous financial support of the Barking Episcopal Area Art Trail project.

Revd. Jonathan Evens, Secretary – July 2011

Annual Report & AGM Agenda

commission4mission's Annual General Meeting will be held on Saturday 19th June at All Saints, West Ham. There will be an exhibition reception from 10.00am and the AGM will begin at 10.30am

Agenda

1. Welcome & apologies

2. Chairperson’s remarks.

3. Secretary’s report.

4. Treasurer’s report and Presentation of the Accounts.

5. Election of Officers & Committee Members.

6. Strategic Direction – led by Helen Gheorghiu Gould

7. Future Events.

8. Any Other Business.


Annual Report 2009/10

commission4mission was launched in March 2009 by our Patron, the Bishop of Barking, to encourage the commissioning and placing of contemporary Christian Art in churches, as a means of fundraising for charities and as a mission opportunity for churches.

During 2009/10 commission4mission has:

• built up a membership of 32 (as at 31/03/10), including a pool of artists available for Church commissions;
• published a publicity leaflet and a catalogue of artists;
• gained commissions for artworks at Queens Hospital Romford, All Saints Hutton, St Peter’s Harold Wood, St Edmund’s Tyseley and St Pauls Goodmayes;
• organised exhibitions at Chelmsford Cathedral, St Laurence Upminster, the Pentecost, West Ham and Leytonstone Festivals and as part of the E17 and Leytonstone Art Trails;
• begun use of ongoing exhibition space available to c4m members at All Saints West Ham;
• held networking evenings on the themes of ‘Spirituality – the heartbeat of Art?’ and 'Stations of the Cross';
• organised a Study Day on the theme of ‘Perspectives on commissioning Christian Art’ at Chelmsford Cathedral and held a launch event hosted by St Alban’s Romford; and
• developed a webpage (http://commissionformission.blogspot.com/) profiling our artists and giving up-to-date news of our activities;
• gained funding for the design and publication of our catalogue of artists and the employment of a project development worker (February – June 2010); and
• begun a strategic development review including a members consultation exercise.

Our first year has therefore been one of significant achievement and development which has confirmed the potential for an organisation such as commission4mission to enhance and further the commissioning and placing of contemporary Christian Art in churches and the support and networking of artists. Our success in gaining commissions during our first year of operation enabled us at the end of that year to donate £2,700 to the Haven House Children’s Hospice, thereby beginning to fulfil the fundraising for charities element of our aims.

We are very grateful to: all members for their support and involvement; all committee members for their direction and guidance; our Patron, Bishop David, for his ideas and interest; Helen Gheorghiu Gould for her work as Project Development worker; Ranjit Solomon for becoming the independent examiner of our accounts; and to Bishop David and London-over-the-Border for their generous financial support.