JOANI CASTILLO

Founder, Artistic Director

Born and raised in Texas, Joani’s love for the Arts began at the age of 3 when she took her first dance class. Leading roles in school musicals, vocal ensembles, and dance team activities were merely steps to pursuing a degree in dance and theatre education from Stephen F. Austin State University.

For 14 years, Joani worked at Word of Grace Church (a 4000+ member congregation) in Mesa, Arizona where she functioned as a licensed minister directing the departments of creative service programming and theatrical arts.  With a unique calling by God and the support of her husband, Ed, she initiated and built Word of Grace’s Theatrical Arts Program from the ground up.  While serving at Word of Grace, Joani launched a Creative Arts School which supported 150 plus students; produced, directed, wrote and co-wrote multiple stage productions, toured companies internationally, and breathed life into hundreds of artistic expressions for public worship services, including dance, drama, photography, creative writing, video, painting, sculpting.

Joani is an editor, writer, vocalist, and actress, playing a major role in the movie, “Forevermore.”  Joani is also a gifted teacher.  She has addressed a wide range of people at conferences, seminars, and retreats, developing a reputation of spiritual depth and technical quality in artistic expression.  Some of her speaking engagements have included Saddleback Purpose Driven Church Worship Conference in California as well as the National Gathering Worship Conference held in Phoenix, Arizona.

Currently, in addition to running Experience Arts School, Joani also serves as the EXALT Pastor for City of Grace Church in Mesa, Az. where she is responsible for every aspect of the weekend service (Worship and Arts, A/V, First Impressions, Altar Ministry) on both of their campuses.   

It is Joani’s passionate desire to provide quality technical and biblical instruction to artists resulting in God-empowered ministry for both the Church and the secular communities.  Joani resides in Mesa, Arizona, with her husband, Ed and two beautiful daughters, Hannah and Madison