Art and music tell Easter story in Colwyn Bay

Film, contemporary jazz, art, music and candlelight will combine over the coming week to tell the Easter story at a major exhibition in Colwyn Bay.

The 10-day celebration has been put together by Engedi Arts, a project to showcase diverse arts and music in the area.

It opens today at the Imperial Hotel, which has been given a community makeover by hundreds of volunteers.

Guest lectures, poets and performers of the spoken word will also be on hand to bring the story to life.

Highlights of the exhibition include a candlelight communion, free introductory workshops on glass enamelling and pottery, and a free food celebration called the 'big feast'.

Coordinating the event is Gavin Mart, a student on the CMS Pioneer Mission Leadership course, who was recently appointed Methodist VentureFX Pioneer Ministry for the Conwy and Prestatyn Methodist Circuit.

Mart said his vision was to develop a creative hub to serve local established organisations such as those belonging to the theatre, the arts and media.

He hopes locals will be inspired to try out other things such as community kitchens and art cafes.

"The hub would also resource local churches by creating an open space which they could harness for their own events I am working on Engediarts.com because, rather than directly serving the traditional church life, I was appointed to work outside of the walls of the church to seek out fresh expressions of church within the heart of the local community," he explains.

The exhibition accepted submissions from local and national artists. The performances reflect 40 Bible passages telling the Easter story and were mostly chosen to represent 'non-churched' communities.

The Bible passages were chosen to highlight issues of such as life, death, betrayal, self-denial and justice.

Mart continued: "We have received nothing but support locally and we’re extremely excited to be presenting such an event here in the bay.

"Over time, and through further events, the project aims to develop non-confrontational relationships with people who express an interest in its spiritual dimension.

"Some folk may decide that one of the local churches is a place where they can explore their faith more deeply, whilst others may begin to form a new faith community around the project hub itself."