The Conference of the Birds is an ancient epic poem by Sufi poet Farid ud-Din Attar. It tells the story of the assembly of the birds, in a time of existential crisis.

The birds embark on a journey and search for the “Simorgh,” a mythical majestic bird which has been likened to the phoenix. They are led by the wisest bird through seven valleys to find the Simorgh and enlightenment. Each Valley has a challenge and an exploration into who we are and what we can become.

This Conference is a conference of artists and communities gathered as an international collaborative that will create a global network to explore new forms of engagement, creation, performance, and online digital experiences. It is a direct response to the challenges we face when dealing with the impact of Covid19 and the climate crisis on a personal, economic, environmental, political, local, national, and international scale.

Now in 2024, we regather to take flight in a disrupted and divided world to understand how to build bridges, form and strengthen connections and combat the unrest/the distrust with:

The 90 Second Challenge: ARTIST ARMY for HOPE

Created for

Curated by

and Erica May Wood

Supported by

A global community engaged art project responding to international crises.

The Conference of the Birds is an ancient epic poem by Sufi poet Farid ud-Din Attar. It tells the story of the assembly of the birds, in a time of existential crisis.

The 90 Second Challenge: ARTIST ARMY for HOPE

The Gathering

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