Save the date! Our 10th anniversary Interfaith Concert is scheduled for
Sunday September 12, 2021 at 4 p.m.
Featuring a virtual choir of talented young people, soprano Christine Brewer and more.
Arts & Faith St. Louis Receives 2020 FOCUS St. Louis
"What Is Right With the Region Award" for "Fostering Creativity for Social Change"
"The arts have a special ability to touch both the heart and mind--building bridges between people of different faiths, races, cultures, economic condition and geography. Since 2011, Arts & Faith St. Louis has used the power of music to remind our community of our shared spiritual and human values at an annual concert at The Sheldon Concert Hall. The event provides an opportunity to meet people of many faiths, races and backgrounds and is an opportunity to begin healing the divisions in our community." -- Laura Arnold, Chair, Arts & Faith St. Louis
Video of Laura Arnold receiving the award:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZlYPVy3P0c
2021 Storytelling Events
Arts & Faith St. Louis brought "Stories of Hope" to a virtual audience on May 2, 2021 as part of the St. Louis Storytelling Festival
Timothy O'Leary, the former director of Opera Theatre St. Louis, told of how an original opera ignited a dialogue between Jewish, Muslim and other faith communities;
Duane Foster, Broadway vocalist and teacher at Normandy High School, revealed how a musical performance brought the community together after events in Ferguson;
Chris Sutton, actor and entertainer, portrayed a St. Louis-born Union soldier who witnesses a bugle call on a blood-soaked battlefield that became the well-known anthem "Taps"; and
Carole Shelton, storyteller, author and retired educator, told a Missouri slave narrative based on an actual interview from the W.P.A. Federal Writers project.
"Stories of Hope" was a free virtual event and is part of the St. Louis Storytelling Festival's
"Journey of Stories Across Missouri."
On July 22, 2020 a virtual free children's storytelling event included these four special storytellers with their "Stories of Compassion" for children:
Patty Carleton – Baha’i storyteller, former children’s librarian at St. Louis Public Library
Barbara Raznick – Jewish storyteller, former head of Saul Brodsky Jewish Community Library
Janet Brown – Episcopal, arts educator and theater teacher
Dr. Sumbul Meraj, M.D. – Muslim storyteller, Infectious Disease Specialist at St. Elizabeth Hospital and Memorial Hospital
On April 26, 2020 Arts & Faith St. Louis co-hosted with the St. Louis Storytelling Festival our first virtual storytelling event "STORIES OF COMPASSION"
Four storytellers from Christian, Hindu, Muslim and Jewish faith communities in the St. Louis region presented their “Stories of Compassion”:
David Greenhaw of Eden Seminary - "On Epidemics and Orphans"
Bala Anantharama of the Hindu Faith - “Global Well-Being”
Mufti Asif Omar of the Islamic Foundation of Greater St. Louis - "Story of a Rider and An Old Man"
Rabbi James Stone Goodman of Central Reform Congregation - “Marabout"
Below is the full video of the April 26, 2020 virtual storytelling event. Click the arrow in the bottom left corner to play.
Last year’s concert, “Songs of Hope,” featured both adult and young singers and musicians from six faith communities – including Christian, Jewish, Muslim and Buddhist vocal ensembles from across the metropolitan area who shared their songs and music of hope. Also featured was celebrated soprano Christine Brewer, who performed new music by composer and clarinetist Stephanie Berg that premiered at Powell Symphony Hall, and a specially-assembled Interfaith Youth Chorus led by Maria Ellis.
Overview Video: http://bit.ly/2kXRbLM
Full Concert Video:http://bit.ly/2kXRbLM
