About us

The Foundation for Sacred Arts is a Catholic nonprofit organization founded to stimulate a vibrant renewal in the patronage and production of Christian sacred arts (art, architecture, and music); and to advance the pursuit of excellence in conformity with truth, goodness, and beauty in these arts; for the glory of God, the life of His Church, and the transformation of culture.

Rationale
The Church has long recognized the power of the sacred arts to communicate truth and to turn souls devoutly toward Christ. Throughout Christian history, the Church has commissioned great works of art, architecture, and music to advance her mission of worship, catechesis, and evangelization, inviting the world more deeply into the mysteries of the faith. However, since the dawn of the modern era, the arts have increasingly been divorced from a Christian nexus, and the pursuit of excellence in conformity with truth, goodness and beauty in even the sacred arts has languished. Yet, the spiritual anemia of modern society makes it all the more vital that the sacred arts thrive- with contemporary voice that is simultaneously rooted in tradition- so that those who encounter the beauty in these arts might be brought into life-altering contact with Divine Beauty Himself.

Foundation Staff

	Executive Director — Ann Marra After receiving a B.A. in Psychology summa cum laude from Houghton College in 2004, Ann Marra completed an M.A. in Art History at the State University of New York at Buffalo in 2006. She converted to the Catholic faith in 2007 and went on to complete an M.A. in Theology at Franciscan University of Steubenville in 2009. Ann has served as Executive Director since 2009.
	Curator of Art — Rachel Ross Rachel Ross received her bachelor’s degree in art history from Washington & Lee University. Her love of art and her conversion to the Catholic faith (which was accelerated by her studies in art) led her to join the Foundation in September of 2006. Rachel has served as the Curator of Art since 2009.
	Curator of Architecture — Erik Bootsma Erik Bootsma received his bachelor’s degree from Thomas Aquinas College in Santa Paula California where he studied theology and philosophy. He graduated from the University of Notre Dame School of Architecture with a Masters in Architecture where he studied sacred architecture under Duncan Stroik and Thomas Gordon Smith. He is currently a freelance architectural illustrator, draftsman and designer, and has been the Curator of Architecture since 2009.
	Curator of Music — Mark Nowakowksi Mark Nowakowski is a freelance composer from the Chicagoland area, whose music has been played around the United States and in Europe. He completed his studies at the Cleveland Institute of Music, the University of Colorado, and Illinois State University. In the Spring of 2009 he served as a guest lecturer at the Jagiellonian University. He has been the Curator of Music since 2007.

Board of Directors
James Flood, President
Fr. Giles Dimock, OP, Chaplain
H. Reed Armstrong
Mary A. D. Petrino, ASID, LEED AP
Bert Keys
Arina O. Grossu