Unity of the Dot is a call to action—a plea for harmony, empathy, and peaceful discourse. We are all individual dots, living our own lives with our joys, sorrows, symphonic masterpieces, and moments of rest. We exist together as points in time, each of us a walking ecosystem contributing to a network that continually renews and rebuilds.

Unity of the Dot urges us to witness each other’s lives, to star in our own realities, and to remember that we are all made of stardust. How beautiful and amazing it is that we exist at the same moment in time, on this rock that, against all odds, supports our very existence—that we have the opportunity to know each other and create together.

The dot is the individual, the whole, the sum of all its parts. We are each a dot made up of countless dots, and we can choose to see ourselves as separate points—or as motes in a vast, interconnected picture. It is beautiful that we can exist as our own unique selves while also being part of a family, a community, and a shared home on Earth.
 

We hope you’ll join us in building and experiencing this moment in time together. ARTICA 2025: Unity of the Dot—October 4th and 5th, St. Louis, MO.

Each year, the ARTICA Board of Directors, dedicated volunteers, and staff carefully craft the annual theme. Sometimes it takes days; sometimes it happens in a moment. Inspiration often comes from the world around us—whether from internal challenges, like ARTICA overcoming obstacles (The New World, Come Hell or High Water, 2008), or global events, like the COVID-19 pandemic (Eternal Return, 2020).

In recent years, we have sought themes that invoke joy—because now, more than ever, we need joy. But just as much, we need community. That need brought to mind "The Pale Blue Dot."

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More than a photograph that inspired a book, it is also a plea for unity. Unity of the Dot.