Gunnar Soderlund,If art is that which touches the soul then art is the most essential element for the future.
founder member of RA
Our vision is for the arts to play their part in creating a society that is guided by principles of justice, kindness and generosity. Our Mission Statement is to:
- Explore the arts as a catalyst for spiritual renewal.
- Enable individuals and society to experience art’s transforming power.
- Connect artists through a network of those who share this vision.
- Encourage work of artistic excellence.
Renewal Arts grew out of Initiatives of Change, a global network open to people of all cultures, nationalities, faith traditions and beliefs who work towards change, locally and globally, starting with change in their own lives. Frank Buchman, the founder of Initiatives of Change, saw a role for artists as the bearers of the banner of spiritual regeneration in a world where political priorities had been misplaced and personal change was an untried commodity. For more than fifty years, artists inspired by this concept worked with his international fellowship.
Uwe Steinmetz,Art helps us to a better understanding of ourselves, what we are and where we come from. It guides us to higher levels of our existence
composer and musician
In August 1997, a group of artists led a conference on Creativity at the Initiatives of Change conference centre in Switzerland. The enthusiastic response to it encouraged this group to think of creating a network of artists who wanted to share their experience of the transforming power of art. Renewal Arts was born and in 2000 a conference dedicated to the arts was called, welcoming artists and those who simply wished to immerse themselves in artistic discovery. With the theme ‘Arts in Perspective’, it was held in at the same conference centre at Caux in Switzerland. Since then Renewal Arts has hosted an international forum every other summer.
Legal bodies have been set up in 
Germany, 
Sweden and the 
United Kingdom to support the international network.
The network of more than 600 people has links in more than 35 countries.
Friends of Renewal Arts
The Friends were launched in 1964 as “The Friends of Westminster Theatre”. The aim was to support the plays at the theatre and was expressed in these words: “To encourage the growth of character that is essential if civilisation is to survive.” For some 13 years the Friends raised money every Christmas for children’s homes from across the country to send parties to “Give a Dog a Bone”, the pantomime written by Peter Howard, and to the C.S. Lewis “Narnia” plays. The Friends also supported the “Day of London Theatre” programme for schools.
In 1999 they moved to their present home, the Barn Theatre at 24 Greencoat Place - a studio theatre where they continued their aims under the name “Friends of Westminster Productions”, arranging rehearsed play readings, concerts, lectures and other artistic events and continuing its regular newsletter. With the growth of Renewal Arts they changed its name to “Friends of Renewal Arts” and look forward to celebrating the 50th anniversary in 3 years’ time.
Caux Artists Program
The Caux Artists Program (CAP) is an interdisciplinary summer course in music, music theatre and dance, presented in association with Initiatives of Change and Renewal Arts.
The participants are a select group of 30 musicians and performing artists from diverse cultural and faith backgrounds who have made a professional commitment to work in the fields of dance, music or music theatre, and who have a vested interest in exploring the power of art as a catalyst for change in society, while at the same time strengthening their artistic skill and vision.
You can learn more about the Caux Artists Program and find out how to enroll at iofc.org/caux-artists.