On the Horizon
February 2024
Greetings!
This is a special update. We have one brand new event to announce, another we’ve been invited to support, & an annual Impact Report to share with the whole NoCo family (that’s you)! It is our undying hope that you are encouraged, inspired, & ultimately blessed by these newsletters. We are so thankful for all the beauty & the challenge of 2023, & we’re looking forward with eager anticipation to everything on the horizon.
“Jabez called upon the God of Israel, saying, ‘Oh that You would bless me & enlarge my border, & that Your hand might be with me, & that You would keep me from harm so that it might not bring me pain!’ God granted what he asked.“
- I Chronicles 4:10
The NoCo team is in the habit of bringing many similar prayers before God, & we can say with confidence that He has been faithful to answer—not always in ways we expect, but always in ways we truly need. Be bold in your prayers, trust in God’s character, & act in faith. We can guarantee you’ll begin to see God at work in your life when you look for Him!
Mothers of NoCo
Project MOM-entum
With each passing year, The Novelty Collective continues to adapt & evolve so we can fully live into our mission as a ministry: to make art accessible, to illuminate its value, & to empower the artist. We serve a broad demographic of creatives, from kids to adults, amateurs to professionals. But we recently decided to build out a new program for a certain group of individuals who often go underappreciated.
Motherhood is a full-time job, except there’s no time clock. It requires a lot of sacrifice, &, unfortunately for many, artistic pursuits often end up on the chopping block. In our efforts to remove the barriers that keep people from creating, we started Project MOM-entum to provide studio space, art supplies, starting capital, & marketing advice for mothers!
Mother’s Day Market
Project MOM-entum kicked off late last year, & we are happy to report that NoCo has already given support to four mother artists! Additionally, these incredible makers participated as vendors during The Novelty Collective Music & Arts Festival in November. We have more mothers interested in entering the program, & they’re all itching for another vending opportunity. Since Mother’s Day is a celebration for them, The Novelty Collective is hosting a Mother’s Day market on May 4th, 2024!*
We are currently looking for vendors to sell their original artwork at this event. If you are a maker, & you are interested in participating, please tap the button below to send us a direct message, & we will send you an application. If you are not, please attend & support. NoCo events are one-of-a-kind & fun for the whole family. You might find the perfect gift!
*The event will be held in the Pittsburgh metro area—location TBD.
Audiofeed Festival
The Novelty Collective is connected to several other creative communities across the country, & many of us in the NoCo family attend & participate in their events. Audiofeed is a big annual festival held in Urbana, Illinois, & 2024 marks their tenth year running. As an organization that shares their passion for art & faith in community, we are excited to announce that The Novelty Collective will be managing the art market at Audiofeed in the same spirit as our own annual festival.
Audiofeed Fest is always STACKED with talent. Bands of every genre from every state go to perform their original music. Pastors, authors, & orators deliver powerful messages of hope. Devoted hospitality workers create an environment that is welcoming to people of every age & background. We hope that in joining them this year, we can work together to elevate makers & visual artists. Please tap on the link below if you would like to apply!
2023 Impact Report
Without further ado, we invite you to review this report our Program Director lovingly put together to share with anyone who would invest in our ministry. We thank you for all the prayer, participation, & financial partnership you have given over the last eight years. We could not have accomplished any of this without you!
[Tap the thumbnails below or use your arrow keys to move through each page]
As you can see, there’s so much to be thankful for! We celebrated a lot of wins this past year, & we have nothing negative to say about any of our programs & events. However, you may have noticed there were a few areas of deficit. We not only intend to continue hosting these free programs & events for our creative community, but we also hope to keep improving them. NoCo needs your help. This ministry is totally reliant on donations. If you are passionate about a particular facet of our ministry & would like to participate in monthly support, please tap on the button below. Help us make an even greater impact in 2024!
What’s Next for NoCo?
You can find out by following us on social media, visiting our website, & continuing to read our newsletters! We hope you enjoyed hearing about we’re up to. Please feel welcome to inquire about our programs & events, give us feedback, or send prayer requests. We always love hearing from you. Be blessed!
In His Service,
The NoCo Team
Article written by Jordan A. King
