Convergence meshes art and faith without boundaries or affiliations.
As an actor and a seminary student, Lisa Cole Smith had two interests that have been placed many times on opposite ends of the societal spectrum. Empathizing with both backgrounds, she wondered: What would happen if there were a safe space for art and faith to intersect freely?
Smith, 41, embraced this desire to mesh art and faith and, in 2006, developed Convergence, a community where art and faith followers can meet and express themselves with no obligation to convert or change.
The two-building arrangement, located in Alexandria, may serve as a metaphor for the organization itself: both buildings service the art and faith components of Convergence and both buildings are open to the public; however, the two buildings are not physically joined. In the same way, Convergence simultaneously advocates art and faith without forcing a connection between the two.
“There isn’t the pressure that you need to be a part [of the church],” says Smith, the executive director for the arts initiative and a pastor for the church, “and there’s no pressure for the church people that they need to be artists.”
One of the main goals of Convergence is supporting artists with resources, opportunities and a welcoming community. This desire to help artists originates, as Smith sees it, from the church.
“It’s a ministry or a mission opportunity to serve,” Smith says. “It’s a way that we as a church serve our local community.”
Though the church has Baptist roots, the community is not limited to one—or any—faith. Members stem from diverse backgrounds in both belief and creativity.
Of course, for Smith, the connection between faith and art is no coincidence. She feels the two fields complement each other foundationally.
“Artists are very engaged in exploring the existential questions of what it means to be human—how we express ourselves, how we feel, how we interact with each other—and faith and religious organizations are very interested in those same questions. So there’s a lot of common ground.”
From this common ground, Convergence flourishes with art and faith outlets for people of all ages. The Convergence Arts Initiative allows individuals to pursue their creative passions in art and music. Those interested in the fine arts can benefit from classes, coaching and internships with the artistic expertise at the institution. In addition, Convergence holds regular exhibits and has several art studios for artists to showcase and expand their expertise.
Musical services are offered by the Lab All Ages incubation program. These include open mics, concerts and Fest Too, an annual music and arts festival that showcases a diverse range of local upcoming talent.
The Church at Convergence invites all community members to embrace faith or explore it through bible studies, gatherings, prayer and communal gatherings. Both the church and the arts initiative at Convergence are safe spaces for individuals to meet and converse in a supportive and pressure-free environment.
“What you do is important, what you do matters, you as a person matter,” says Smith. “Whether you believe what we believe or not, we see the value in what you do.” —Bailey Lucero-Carter
(February 2015)
