Patrons of Rome and Story Chicago

Patrons of Rome at the Story Conference

Every year, I teach my students about Greece and Rome.

I write the words “Golden Age” on the whiteboard. And I announce that what set Greece and Rome apart from the medieval manors and earlier river civilizations is that their people didn’t just survive; they created.

Life was more than just not getting beat down by Vikings or killed off by the plague.

There was art.
There was architecture.
There was theater.

Wealthy merchants helped support a thriving class of artisans. And the creative swell that resulted left such a mark on history that all people wanted to do in the later Renaissance was get back to the glory days of Greece and Rome.

This is the first year, though, that I felt like this little diatribe applied to my present life and not just to the ancient past.

And that’s because I’ve taken on a new role, nurturing partnerships that support STORY–a premier event for Christian creatives.

That means that I talk with a lot of companies who want to introduce STORY attenders to their products and services in exchange for helping financially support the conference’s vision.

But here’s the catch.
As many of you know, I’m not a saleswoman.
An idea? Yes. I can sell you that.
But I’m not a sales pitch or one-liner kind of girl.
And I couldn’t sell a used car to save my life.

But that all shakes out because I never have to go into a conversation hoping to sell anyone anything.

Instead, I go in trying to discern whether the heart of the ancient Greek and Roman beats within a company. I want to know if they have some like-mindedness, an eye for beauty, an attraction to artistic expression.

I’m not looking for financers to convince to be on board.
I’m looking for patrons who already are.

These are the noble supporters who believe in inspiring and nurturing artistic gifts. The people who want to fund quality art, literature and film that express compelling spiritual messages.

These people support STORY, not only because of the real dollar value involved in interacting with the thought leaders who attend, but because they want to be part of a creative swell of faith that leaves a mark on history.

Thanks to these patrons, along with the momentum created by our incredible attenders and the visionary leadership of STORY founder Ben Arment, this year I’m not just lecturing about days of old. I’m helping to champion a Golden Age in the making that I firmly believe others, years from now, will be telling people about.