“There’s a lot of space for music in The Salvation Army,” says Alana Brown, a 21-year-old Salvationist at Toronto’s Scarborough Citadel. “But music has never really been my thing.”

Brown’s “thing” is visual art. And with support from her church, she’s finding new ways to blend faith, community and art, including an annual artisan fair, making space in the Army for every type of creative.

Army and Artistry

With her father in the Canadian Staff Band and her mother having worked for The Salvation Army, Brown grew up in the Army, and she occasionally played percussion in the band at Scarborough Citadel. But despite a strong musical focus in her family, Brown found herself more drawn to visual arts, a path she began exploring when she was a child.

“I’ve been going to art schools since I was in fourth grade. When I was young, I expected that music was going to be something I would pursue like the rest of my family,” explains Brown. “But I became more interested in visual art, and I really fell in love with it in high school.” 

Brown explores many forms of visual art, such as illustration, collage, mixed media and sculptural art. In recent years, she has undertaken large-scale painting projects for The Salvation Army’s Jackson’s Point Camp, Ont. “One year, the theme of the Blaze program at camp was ‘treasured,’ so I created a large treasure map with the names of the camp buildings across the map,” says Brown. “It was a cool opportunity for me to be able to use my artistic abilities and skills to make a contribution to the program.

“I think my faith has impacted my art. I feel that I can best contribute to ministry through my art and my unique lens as an artist.”

A Bright Idea

At Scarborough Citadel, Brown also serves on the ministry administration council (MAC), a group of men and women who represent the voices of the congregation and assist the corps officers in mission. “It’s important for us as leaders to listen to the voices of all ages and genders,” says Captain Johnny Valencia, corps officer. “Alana represents the younger generation at our corps, and their perspective is just as important as those of older groups.”

In the wake of the pandemic, Captain Valencia reached out to the congregation and the MAC to find new ways to connect with people after restrictions lifted. He asked them, “If you had an unlimited budget, what would you want to do? What would you put on for the community?”

Brown began thinking about how she could contribute in a way that was unique and had not been done before at her corps, and how she could blend her faith and creativity to support others. She proposed an artisan fair that would host vendors, artists and small businesses, and allow the community to come into the corps building and shop for unique goods. 

“The artisan fair was the first thing that I thought of that was something artistic that I could do, and something that would be beneficial to other artists and small businesses, too.”

The first fair, which took place in 2022, hosted more than 30 vendors selling a wide variety of goods, such as art, baked goods, crochet, ceramics, jewelry, stickers and skincare products. “I’m very intentional when I am curating vendors,” explains Brown. “I want there to be a wide variety of people who can do a wide variety of things.” 

Brown advertised the fair online and on Instagram, and put up posters in the community to help get the word out. “Each vendor has an individual following of their own that they’ve built through their brand. They advertise it, bringing their own communities into our church so that they can see what The Salvation Army is all about,” explains Brown. “Our officers were there to walk around and talk to vendors and customers. The people at my corps were appreciative and came up to me afterwards to tell me that they enjoyed it.”

Scarborough Citadel hosted their second annual artisan fair, once again spearheaded by Brown, in October 2023, and the corps excitedly looks forward to the next one.

“Go For It”

With a generation of young talent emerging in The Salvation Army, Brown offers a word of advice: “Carve out your own space. Traditionally, though not intentionally, there hasn’t been a lot of space in the Army for other kinds of artistry outside of music. Talk to your corps officers if you have an idea that you’re passionate about. In my experience, a lot of the time, if you show up with enthusiasm and a plan, it’s going to be well received,” she says. “Just go for it.”

Now, with programs like the Ontario Division’s Youth Creative, a ministry designed to celebrate and explore the various expressions of creative ministry in the Army’s young people, doors are opening for new initiatives in all areas.

“Whether you play an instrument, sing, take photos, run a sound board, dance, paint, act, write or anything else, each person is uniquely gifted,” says Katie Fuentes, Youth Creative program co-ordinator. “The creative industry can sometimes be a competitive place. It’s important for young people to have a Jesus-centred space where they can develop these gifts.”

Fuentes encourages Salvationists and officers to seek out the gifted youth within their corps and offer them opportunities. “Is there a young person who loves photography in your church? Ask them to capture special moments in worship that encourage new people to join you. The more we use our gifts to worship God and serve others, the more vibrant the church becomes.”