Art for the Not Yet: An Open Call for Creativity that Inspires
Upcoming art initiative seeks creativity in all formats, submissions due July 1
Submissions due July 1, 2026
BGAV is calling on churches and individuals across the Commonwealth and beyond to take part in Art for the Not Yet, a collaborative arts initiative connected to the 2026 BGAV Annual Meeting and its theme, Heart for the Not Yet.
The project invites original works of visual art, music, poetry, spoken word, and digital expression that reflect God’s compassion for people, places, and possibilities still waiting to be reached. Submissions will help tell the story of a Church that continues to listen, imagine, and move toward a world not yet fully seen, healed, or transformed.
Selected works will be featured in two immersive formats during BGAV’s Annual Meeting, scheduled for November 9–11, 2026, at the Virginia Beach Convention Center.
The first is an on-site gallery exhibition, showcasing physical works such as paintings, photography, mixed media, and sculpture that can be safely hung or displayed. The second is a digital graffiti experience, a projection-based environment where video, digital art, music, and photography are displayed in motion—turning convention center walls into a living, evolving expression of faith and creativity.
In addition to the on-site experience, selected pieces will be featured through BGAV’s digital platforms, including BGAV.org; the print publication, Faith & Field; social media channels; and the digital BGAV Mixtape: Heart for the Not Yet. Live performances may also be incorporated into the annual meeting’s worship and program sessions.
BGAV encourages submissions from individuals of all backgrounds and experience levels. The focus is not on professional polish, but on authenticity, imagination, and a willingness to explore the “not yet” through creative expression.
Works may reflect themes such as waiting, belief and doubt, the Church’s ongoing formation, the quiet work that comes before visible growth, and God’s creative heart for the next generation. Contributors are invited to consider people or communities they hold in prayer, places still waiting for renewal, and stories of faith that are still unfolding.
