The World Sacred Music Festival (WSMF) is a
program of Interfaith
Works, and was inspired by other interfaith music festivals
including those in Fez, Morocco, and Vancouver, Canada. These and
other sacred music and arts festivals were inspired by a call by
the Dalai Lama for such events as the world approached the new millennium:
"Among the many forms in which the human spirit has
tried to express its innermost yearnings and perceptions, music
is perhaps the most universal. There is something in music that
transcends and unites. This is evident in the sacred music of
every community... music that expresses the universal yearning
that is shared by people all over the globe."
The first WSMF was held as a two-day event in 2005, and the festival
has grown and changed since that time. You can see photos of past
festivals and artists on the History
pages.
The WSMF is a volunteer-run festival with state and federal nonprofit
status as a program of Interfaith Works. The festival is a showcase
for musicians, dancers, and artists from the Pacific Northwest and
beyond, all part of our world's rich spiritual tapestry. This all-day,
family-friendly global celebration is a rare opportunity to hear
the music of different sacred traditions in one location.
The festival has expanded beyond music to include dance, interactive
workshops, and visual arts that represent different spiritual paths.
The festival is able to offer such a rich array of performances
and displays through the support of festival sponsors, and the generosity
of the musicians and artists, most of whom donate their performances,
helping the festival to stretch its small budget and present the
widest possible array of diversity each year.
Thanks for your interest in the World Sacred Music Festival! We
hope to see you at the next festival, as a performer, volunteer,
or audience member.
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