A hub for justice...
For over 30 years the Festival Center has been
a hub for Justice-seeking organizations and faith communities.
The Festival Center first opened our doors in 1989 as a ministry from the Church of the Saviour, a nondenominational church in Washington, DC, founded in 1947 by Gordon and Mary Cosby. Gordon and a small group of others started the Festival Center to support community-centered ministries and non-profits and to train faith leaders in DC and all across the country for mission and justice. Their call remains ours today.
For over 30 years the Festival Center has served as a hub for activists, artists, people of faith and no faith, seekers, and mission-driven groups. A landmark in the Adams Morgan neighborhood in Washington DC, the Center is a home to numerous organizations and a generative source for movements for justice.
who we are
Mission
Through hospitality, education, spiritual development, and practice, the Festival Center serves as a generative source for all people to work against all forms of oppression and to strive for a just city, nation, and world.
Vision
The Festival Center is an organization rooted in a faith that compels us to be a meeting place and a participant in the struggle for the common good. Our call is to be in solidarity with God, each other, and all of creation.
Faith Identity
We believe in a liberating God who offers unconditional love to all, sides with the oppressed, and seeks the flourishing of all of creation. We are eager for a world where people of all faiths & no faith can live together without need, in mutual affirmation, & in joy.
our values
Mutual Solidarity
We believe in the interdependence of our oppressions and the interdependence of our liberation, therefore we seek out partnerships with individuals and organizations. We look to the leadership of the people and communities most affected by oppression and we provide support for their work.
Generous Hospitality
We welcome people of all identities and expressions into our space and programming and commit to treat all people with openness and respect. We are committed to making our space accessible to all mission-driven individuals and groups. We seek partners working for justice for mutual learning and engagement.
Collective Formation
Through relationships of trust, patience, listening, & support, we provide space for individuals to pursue growth through reflection, meditation, and spiritual practices. Our educational courses and events offer opportunities for critical thinking, creativity, & dialogue with others and we believe tension & discomfort can be productive and move us toward new growth and change.
