“Neither revolution nor reformation can ultimately change a society, rather you must tell a new powerful tale, one so persuasive that it sweeps away the old myths and becomes the preferred story, one so inclusive that it gathers all the bits of our past and our present into a coherent whole, one that even shines some light into our future so that we can take the next step…If you want to change a society, then you have to tell an alternative story.” - Austrian philosopher Ivan Illich
All art tells a story. Pro Co (our little abbreviation for "proskyneo collective", which is really hard to type), is asking - What story are we telling with our art? This goes far beyond questions of aesthetic or even talent. You can be a great artist and tell a destructive story, but you can also be a mediocre artist and tell a great story. We want to be good and tell a good story, of course, but if we want our art to make a difference - to bring change to those who hear it or see it - then having the right story is critical.
As a follower of Jesus, the story I try to tell is one of redemption, healing, and ultimately resurrection. History tells us that we're all pretty much doomed. Isn't that evident enough by looking at the world around us? But we can tell an alternative story where the ending is not determined by history or statistical trends. Our story is filled with unlikely heroes and heroines that overcome in the face of tremendous opposition. True peace and justice in the world is going to come through people like that - people like us - who live out that story.
