Mark Cutliffe and Essence

Essence Christian Arts Festival is an organisation founded by Mark Cutliffe, to promote the arts amongst Christians, helping them to discover their God given creativity within and an opportunity to explore how to express that through a wide range of artistic and creative methods.

Following a few years in art college, rock bands and a lot of drunkeness, Mark became a Christian, left the rock band and spent a number of years trying to see where or how, music and creativity fits into God's plans. Essence Festival has developed through many years of praying, asking questions about the arts, God's people and seeking ways to encourage people to stretch out into something new or untap their creativity.