A Celebration of the Arts
Building Vibrant Hearts and Communities
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Gathering in Fort Wayne
Gathering in Fort Wayne
Saturday, September 5, 2026
Saturday, September 5, 2026
3940 S Harrison St, Fort Wayne, IN
3940 S Harrison St, Fort Wayne, IN
"All Art is a gift of the Holy Spirit. When this light shines through the mind of a musician, it manifests itself in beautiful harmonies. Again, shining through the mind of a poet, it is seen in fine poetry and poetic prose. When the Light of the Sun of Truth inspires the mind of a painter, he produces marvellous pictures. These gifts are fulfilling their highest purpose, when showing forth the praise of God.'
–‘Abdu’l-Bahá quoted in Lady Blomfield, “The Chosen Highway," p. 167
The Bahá'is of Fort Wayne are sponsoring a day-long conference on September 5, 2026, during which we will consider how the arts can be employed to build vibrant communities and to deepen our spiritual lives.. Anyone interested in these areas is welcome to attend--artist or lover of the arts. The arts are defined here in the broadest sense, to include anything that brings beauty into world (e.g., crafts, gardening...).
In the morning, we are lucky to have Clydia Early talking about her efforts in community building through her gallery, BIPOCA, which showcases the work of black, indigenous, and people of color. We will also have sessions on music and literary arts. In the afternoon, we will split into groups (music, visual arts, verbal arts, and performing arts). Each group will decide on a course of action related to its area and/or to collaborate on an artistic endeavor. In the late afternoon, we will meet again to perform, display, or discuss what we did in our individual groups.
Everyone is Invited!
“I rejoice to hear that thou takest pains with thine art, for in this wonderful new age, art is worship. The more thou strivest to perfect it, the closer wilt thou come to God. What bestowal could be greater than this, that one’s art should be even as the act of worshipping the Lord? That is to say, when thy fingers grasp the paintbrush, it is as if thou wert at prayer in the Temple.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá, tablet to Juliette Thompson, 1919
LOCATION
LOCATION
3940 S Harrison St, Fort Wayne, IN
3940 S Harrison St, Fort Wayne, IN
Park on the street or in the driveway.
REGISTRATION
REGISTRATION
The event is free, but in order to plan for food and to tailor the event to the needs of the participants, we would like to know how many people are coming. Please register by filling out this FORM.
AGENDA
AGENDA
The schedule is tentative and can be changed at any point up until the end of the gathering.
9:00 – 9:30 Coffee and Tea
PLENARY SESSION
9:30 – 10:00 Introduction and Vision
10:00 – 10:45 Presentation and Discussion on Visual Arts – Clydia Early, BIPOCA Incubator and Gallery
10:45 – 11:00 BREAK
11:00 – 11:45 Presentation and Discussion on Musical Arts
11:45 – 12:30 Presentation and Discussion on Literary Arts
12:30 – 1:15 LUNCH
BREAKOUT SESSIONS
There will be three activity-based breakout groups for both sessions, one for musical arts, one for literary arts, and one for visual arts. Participants will choose one for each session.
1:15 – 2:00 First Breakout Session
2:00 – 2:10 BREAK
2:10 – 2:55 Second Breakout Session
2:55 – 3:05 BREAK
PLENARY SESSION
3:05 – 4:00 Sharing from Breakout Sessions and General Conclusion and Consultation
FOOD
FOOD
We will provide coffee, tea, lunch, and snacks. If you have food restrictions or preferences, let us know on the registration form or contact us by email or telephone.
CHILDREN
CHILDREN
Children are welcome, but there will be no children's classes nor child care available. Parents should be responsible for their children. Everyone else is expected to enjoy the energy of the young.
CONTACT US
CONTACT US
Email: thompsoc@pfw.edu
Phone: (260)402-8155
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