About the Founder

The Spiritual Arts Foundation was founded by Clifford White, a publisher, entrepreneur, composer and community builder whose work has long centred on creativity, communication and human potential.

While his professional experience spans business, technology, publishing, music and community development, the origins of the Foundation can be traced much further back to a lifelong fascination with the relationship between creativity and the deeper dimensions of human experience.

A Lifelong Interest

From an early age, Clifford was drawn to the power of music and imagination.

Works by artists such as Mike Oldfield, Jean-Michel Jarre and later Vangelis suggested worlds that seemed to extend beyond everyday experience, opening spaces for wonder, reflection and exploration through creativity itself. Long before he encountered the language of spirituality, he was fascinated by the ability of music and the arts to evoke meaning, mystery and imagination.

This interest remained a constant thread throughout his life and would eventually become one of the inspirations behind The Spiritual Arts Foundation.

Creativity and the Artist's Journey

Alongside his professional activities, creativity has remained an important part of Clifford's life.

As a composer and musician, he has released more than twenty music albums and experienced many of the opportunities and challenges that accompany a creative career. Like many artists, he has navigated questions of audience-building, collaboration, visibility, creative development and long-term sustainability.

This experience has strongly influenced the Foundation's outlook. The SAF views artists not simply as beneficiaries of support, but as essential contributors to cultural life whose work deserves greater visibility, recognition and appreciation.

The Foundation's commitment to artists is therefore informed not only by research and public benefit objectives, but also by first-hand experience of the creative journey itself.

Building Communities

A recurring theme throughout Clifford's work has been community building.

Over several decades he developed projects, businesses, websites, publications and communities designed to connect people around shared interests, encourage participation and create opportunities for collaboration. His experience includes work associated with major publishing organisations such as Condé Nast, involvement in professional music-production environments including Elstree Studios, and the creation of numerous online and offline communities.

These experiences provided valuable insight into how communities form, grow and sustain themselves over time.

In September 2021, this experience led to the creation of Spiritual Creatives, a community bringing together people interested in spirituality, creativity, culture and human experience. What began as a single Meetup group gradually developed into a thriving community of more than 2,500 participants.

The Creation of The Spiritual Arts Foundation

As Spiritual Creatives grew, a wider pattern began to emerge.

Many artists, writers, musicians, filmmakers, educators and members of the public shared a common interest in the relationship between spirituality and creativity. Yet there appeared to be few organisations dedicated to exploring, preserving, developing and promoting this relationship as a field in its own right.

The more this landscape was explored, the clearer the opportunity became.

The idea of The Spiritual Arts Foundation emerged from a recognition that an important cultural tradition existed, but lacked a dedicated home.

What began as community building gradually evolved into a broader vision encompassing publishing, education, research, cultural preservation, artist development and creative production.

In April 2023, that vision took organisational form through the incorporation of The Spiritual Arts Foundation.

Looking Forward

Although the Foundation was initiated by its founder, its ambitions extend far beyond any individual contribution.

The long-term success of the organisation will depend upon the artists, volunteers, members, supporters, partners, advisers and future leaders who choose to contribute to its development.

The aim is not to build an organisation around a single person, but to help create an enduring institution capable of supporting creativity, culture and community for generations to come.

The Spiritual Arts Foundation represents the convergence of many strands of experience gathered over a lifetime. More importantly, it represents a belief that the relationship between spirituality and creativity deserves greater recognition, understanding and support within contemporary cultural life.