Yes, but you must have already registered. There is NO onsite registration on the days of the conference. The Conference Fee will apply to day attendees, and we are so pleased that there are two free (and wonderful!) public events this year (on Friday night and Saturday night). Everyone is very welcome at both of these presentations (so invite all your friends!). .

All meals are included through an arrangement with the Hilton (Friday lunch through Sunday lunch). We did this to encourage lots of opportunities to consult informally and to facilitate the kind of group intimacy a closed campus affords. There will be options at each meal for vegetarians, and you are encouraged to be in touch with us if you have specific dietary needs.

With our current resources, maximum capacity is around 75 participants. We may find that it would make sense to either increase or decrease our numbers in the future. It is our hope that the smaller size of the conference will contribute to the social and spiritual intimacy and the depth of consultation.

Early on, we realized that we couldn’t do everything well. For this year we’ve decided to concentrate on networking and adult workshops. Of course youth are more than welcome to come and participate in the general program.

There is no scheduled children's program at the conference. We encourage you to arrange child care between spouses and friends with children who may be attending the conference. Both evening sessions and all meals are open to children but the presentations and workshops are not organized for children's participation.

After our second Wings to the Spirit Conference we realized that we wanted to be able to work on other elements of the Wings to the Spirit Foundation, and decided to hold the conference every other year. In the intervening year we will be sponsoring smaller weekend workshops on specific themes related to the arts. For example last year we had a "Healing and the Arts" workshop, and hope to repeat it in January of 2011. Your involvement in the consultation opportunities that are built into the conference schedule as well as your evaluation feedback will help us determine how best to move forward.

Three of us live in the general vicinity, but more importantly we have “contacts” at the Hilton Garden Inn that allow us a discounted rate for accommodation and meeting space. We also appreciate that the beach represents a place of relaxation and beauty.

The idea of bringing artists together started as a small seed idea years ago. At least two of us talked about it together often. Somehow 2006/07 seemed to be the year to DO something. The rest of us organically drew together at the September 2006 Tennessee Baha’i School where we decided we would work together to develop this project as an individual initiative.

We know that the arts can play a critical role in conveying the spirit of the Baha’i Faith to those we hope to teach. We have been told:

“The day will come when the Cause will spread like wildfire when its spirit and teachings will be presented on the stage or in art and literature as a whole.” (Shoghi Effendi, 10 October 1932, to an individual).

We also know that the artistic preparation of environments for Feast, Devotional meetings, and our own homes can facilitate an appreciation of beauty, reverence and celebration.

This conference is a group "individual initiative" and so is not directly sponsored by any Bahá'í institution. However, we have received invaluable assistance from the Bahá'ís of Gulf Breeze, and are grateful to have the encouragement and support of the Southern Regional Bahá'í Council in this endeavor.