Latter-day Saint performers, artists, musicians, writers, and publishers have found a great deal of encouragement and camaraderie as well as professional development among other “creatives,” who have joined together to form Latter-day Saints in Publishing, Media, and the Arts (LDSPMA).
Steve Piersanti, with Jeremy Madsen, founder and CEO of Iron Rock Press.
Now in its 11th year, the idea for the organization began with Steve Piersanti, a Brigham Young University graduate and CEO and founder of Berrett-Koehler Publishers. While Piersanti had been in publishing for decades, he noticed, “There were few other Latter-day Saint publishers outside of the Wasatch front.”
And yet, he continues, “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints started with a book, and its first asset was a printing press.” That, along with his own love for publishing and his desire to use his skills and talents to express his faith and beliefs, led him to start networking and, on April 3, 2015, he met with 45 others who had a similar interest.
From there, the seeds were planted and, with the first conference later that year, LDSPMA began attracting not only publishers and then writers, but, soon, songwriters and others in media, film-making, podcasting, visual arts, performing arts, and musical arts. Today, the organization has grown to 2,800 members united by one mission: to spread light and truth through books, film, podcasts, music, and more.
This year’s annual conference theme is “Our Work, His Glory.” The conference will be held October 16 through 18, 2025, with an online option or in person at the Sorensen Student Center of Utah Valley University campus in Orem, Utah. In addition to the conference workshops, registration is also available for the Awards Gala, the LDSPMA’s Got (Secret) Talent, and Fundraising evening events. Discounts are available for youth ages 12 to 18, as well as part-time and full-time college students. Keynote speakers include Brad Wilcox, Brad Pelo, Harry and Debra Bonner, J. Scott Savage, and more than 60 breakout sessions. For conference details or to register, visit https://ldspma.org/conference
Piersanti explains that, in addition to the annual conference, LDSPMA offers helpful programs year-round, including a Publishers’ Summit, seven-week Master Classes, mentoring programs, an awards program, monthly Zoom discussions, a regular newsletter, and a podcast titled “Called to Create.”
“LDSPMA is somewhat distinctive from other writing groups and the like,” explains Piersanti. “We are more explicitly faith-based, supporting The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and providing professional development to people of faith in creating uplifting writing, art, music and media.”
The organization’s website explains it this way: “We believe that followers of Jesus Christ have a divine call to share light and truth. But many creators lack the skills, connections, and confidence to achieve lasting reach and impact with their work. Whether you create secular or religious content, our community provides events and resources to help you flood the earth with Christ’s light.”
Piersanti attributes much of the growth of the organization to the fact that there is a culture of organization, of volunteering, and a general vibe of “how can I help?” among the members.
Over the years, LDSPMA has attracted a range of individuals, including educators and professionals who share their knowledge and expertise, novices who are looking for answers to their current questions, and students and young people 12 and up who are exploring what a creative career may look like.
A fiction author, Madsen, explains that LDSPMA has made him want to be a “voice for God” in his self-publishing efforts. “I am continually inspired by the message of LDSPMA. It is not about you. It is about your audience and how you can serve them, even more important, how you can glorify and magnify God and Jesus Christ through the work that you create.”
Another, Paul Schwartz, is the founder of the nonprofit choir, A Voice for Good, and cofounder, with Rebecca Burnham, of Summit Stages. Schwartz also previously served as LDSPMA’s audio/visual coordinator and currently works as LDSPMA’s operations manager. He believes musical theater and media, even if it’s not directly talking about the gospel, are particularly well-equipped for promoting principles of Zion and connecting people with the Savior.
“You have to be in harmony,” he said. “[Performing] almost forces you to be of one heart and
one mind because you’re all doing one performance together with all these different moving pieces and people.”
Similarly, Schwartz believes it’s the amazing people who make up LDSPMA and the harmony among the members of LDSPMA that has led to the organization’s success.
He extends an invitation to other creatives, saying, “Any desire you have to use your talents more effectively to gather Israel and do the Lord’s work, I highly recommend LDSPMA. It really is a Zion-like community. You will not find a more supportive network to help further your efforts to spread light through your creative works, be they writing, publishing, media, music, or art.”
Membership in LDSPMA is free. To learn more, https://ldspma.org/join.
