Empowerment, Intersectionality, and Collaboration at an Urban Laboratory

The Convergence will bring together renowned speakers, artists, musicians, and activators to co-create an experience of vibrancy, action, and hope.

 With themes of Empowerment, Intersectionality, and Collaboration at the core of this experience, we convene to approach essential discussions of our era. We reach across professional, cultural, and generational boundaries to find collective community in the current cultural environment. Our compass is guided by determined dialogue, uplifting artistic expression, and most importantly US – the participants – who will be the heart, purpose, and co-creators of this event.

We are here to DO community and sustainability, not just talk about it. This means participants are expected to uphold a standard of integrity, honesty, and work ethic throughout our stay. By employing the tools of active listening and conscientious dialogue, the work ahead is to deepen our understanding of our identities, our potentials, and our movement. The Convergence might be like a conference – but not really – acknowledging the complexity of the Human Experience, we are here
to bend the genre into something much more. (It’s really up to us/you what that means.)

Participants are able to guide themselves through a flow of Keynotes, Workshops, Panel Discussions, Art Installations, Performances, Film Screenings, Acoustic and Dance Music. Tracks of Food and Farming, Localism and Sovereignty, Indigeneity and Colonialism, Community Economics, Permaculture, Immigration, and more. Prepare to be a student and teacher as you weave together your tapestry of experiences.

 For the past 50 years, Arcosanti has committed itself to cultural evolution, sustainable urbanism, and community. The stunning architecture is nestled in 860 acres of Riparian nature preserve that will be yours to explore over the weekend. While we encourage participants to camp on the mesa overlooking the Agua Fria River, there are local accommodations (~2 miles away) available in Cordes Junction. This “Urban Laboratory” is focused on one essential question: “WHAT IF?”