Essence Christian Creative Festival 2026 Tent Makers

Essence Christian Creative Festival 2026, Tent Makers

Essence Festival is about gathering together to connect with God, each other and explore creativity and how we can be creative! Through this years theme of Tent Makers we will be exploring the use of creativity in making space and finding ways to meet with God. The taberncle in the Old Testament was a created space where God and people met together, and creativity, from painting to pottery can again be used to help us connect, meet with and worship God.

We will have loads of workshops, seminars, have a go spaces and creative people who will be encouraging us to be creative through four zones ( and more) to help us connect with God and His plans for us using different creative elements

Movement and Music zone will have workshops like song writing, dance, flags, mime.

Makers and Shapers zone is for painters, potters, metal smiths, textiles and all those tactile creative arts.

Wordsmiths and Story Tellers will have space for actors, writers, film makers and poets!

Creative Thinkers and Innovators is a new area for us where we wanted to inspire people with stories and ideas that make a difference, and the journeys people take when developing an idea into something real and tangible.

We also have our Campfire, meet and great area and plenty more around the site to help inspire creativity, connection and make space for us and God.

We have musicians and bands this year as well as an open mic, pure spoken word, community drumming, access to around 76 acres onsite of the beautiful Gower peninsular and even opportunity to take a walk to the beach all aimed at igniting the creative in all of us!

Essence is aimed at those who are creative and those who don't think they are. There will be plenty on offer to help people develop that playful explorative, creative spark that God has given us and lots to do wherever you are at on your journey with God.

At Essence our overall aims are to:

Call together people already on a creative journey, to encourage, network, learn and inspire each other.

Draw out the creative person that is in everyone. So often that creative spark in us has just been dampened down, but it is still in there and needs the opportunity to be fanned into flame.

Encourage and equip people to take creativity back home into their relationship with God, family, church, marketplace or even to the streets to share Gods good news with those who don't know Him yet.

Whilst we will be running workshops and seminars throughout the day, there is something in just gathering together and taking time out of our busy lives. Our Fireside venue is will be open for information on many different initiatives and projects as well as just space to relax and chat!

The Dock coffee venue allows time to chat, meet, sit and ponder, along with being a venue for our Wordsmiths and Story Tellers. whilst around site you will find many interactive displays and installations proviing opportunities to have a go at something in your own time.

There will be organised activities for young people as well as plenty of self guided activities for including kites to make and fly, giant mural colouring boards sand pit, stone painting and many of the workshops open and suitable for younger attendees. (there are a few animals onsite to say hello to also)

Evenings at Essence are a special time at a beautiful location and along with bands and music, community art installations and more its a great place to be as the sun sets over the beautiful Gower. We really hope you can join us this year and see what 'Tents' we can create together!

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Host or Publisher Mark Cutliffe and Essence