(Proto ARCA) Convergence, Ottawa, 2002

An initiative of ARCCO, the Convergence conference ended a nine year professional development and networking drought in the artist-run centre community, a direct result of the demise of the national organization ANNPAC in 1994.  ARCCO was the first provincial organization to respond to this need by developing a  national conference specifically for the artist-run centre community. Convergence focused on theoretical and pragmatic issues which face artist-run centres and invited critical discourse concerning curatorial and innovative programming practices. The conference demonstrated the thriving successes and impact of Canadian artist-run centres, and exemplified the breadth and diversity of the community while also representing the vicissitudes of the many regions.