Small clarification...

Complex Weavers runs Complex Weavers Seminars. Complexity is the name for the exhibit associated with Complex Weavers Seminars.

I am the chair for Complexity 2024. 

Very good questions, Penny. I have some thoughts to add later, but I just wanted to make that clarification.

Linda Schultz

Complexity is an exhibit of CW, not the conference. The conference is called CW Seminars (CWS).

The major difference is that CWS, indeed CW itself, is run entirely by volunteers. Financial considerations for them are minimal. Convergence is run by HGA staff and needs to make a substantial profit in order to pay for its upkeep. Last time I checked they needed a profit in excess of $1 million per convergence. (BTW, non-profit tax returns are public.)

Convergence offers a wide range of presentations for all levels. Facilities are accessible, but, of the presentations I saw, including the Fashion Show, few if any were captioned. This is contra to ADA requirements.

CW’s presentations are fewer and focused. While they attempts to address all levels, they focus on the mandate of CW “complex” and yes, complex can address 4-shaft designing. They too have some presenters not offering captioning, but fewer.

Convergence has a large vendor area which many of us love. Complex Weavers does not have vendors. Both have exhibits, with Convergence having or supporting many more exhibits than CWS.

Marg
Convergence ’94 Conference Chair

Convergence is run by HGA, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Some events are run by staff, some by volunteers.

If Complex Weavers is held in tandem with Convergence, both organizations benefit from the professional event planning / negotiations with the hotels and convention center - which means we all benefit if costs can be reduced. Please note that ATA also hosts their conference in tandem with Convergence.

Convergence is a Fiber Art conference, so the offerings cover more than just weaving - they also include spinning, dyeing, and basketry. Surface design and other forms are fiber art are also represented to a lesser extent. If you volunteer for one of the conference committees, you can get involved in the selection of programs.

Convergence offers the following:
- A variety of sessions lengths, from a few hours to multi-day workshops - 141 different sessions were offered in 2022
- 5 juried exhibits (typically 200+ works on view during the conference), plus regional exhibits - 14 locations offered in 2022
- Tour opportunities - 6 were offered in 2022. (Tour topics are tied to each location)
- Professionally choreographed Runway Fashion show
- Large networking opportunity - more than 1,000+ attendees
  • Special groups & gatherings: Twist, WARP, ATA, CW, Rag Rug Group, HG Exchange Group, Open Portfolio, etc.
  • Special events: Shuttle Race, Skein Competition, Open Portfolio, Informal Fashion Show, Demonstration Stage, etc.
- Robust vendor hall - nearly 70 vendors in 2022. (Didn't see your favorite vendor in 2022? Let them know you would like to see them in 2024.)

If you are interested in volunteering, here is the link for more information: https://weavespindye.org/volunteer/

Sally O
(Convergence attendee since 1998, Member of WeaveTech since forever, Member of CW since 2010, Editor of SS&D since 2014)

If anyone is interested in offering a session at Convergence, here is the link.
(Deadline is March 19th)
Scroll down to see the terms and compenstation offered.
https://weavespindye.org/sessions/

 You might consider joining either or both of the organizations involved. Each is certainly more than just a conference, although both Convergence and CW Seminars are excellent events.  They have been happening for decades and I have seen changes in both conferences. I have been to 11 Convergences, with my first being in 1984. I have taught for 6 Convergences. I started going to the CW Seminars in 1988, which was the first one. I attended all of them except for 2022 and I taught for all except 2 of them.

Take a look at the website for the Handweavers Guild of America (meaning North America; there have been at least 2 Convergences in Canada). HGA sponsors a lot of events and opportunities for anybody interested in fiber arts and crafts. If you join, you will get their excellent magazine, Shuttle, Spindle and Dyepot.
Take a look at the website for Complex Weavers. They sponsor different opportunities and CW is an international group. The Complex Weavers Journal is another, different kind of excellent magazine.

There were some years when the two weaving/textile conferences were held in different cities and different times. They have always been held in even-numbered years.
One thing they have in common is good fashion shows. The CW fashion show is very informal and lots of fun. Most of the garments are worn by the weaver. There are no professional models unless a weaver happens to be a model. CW Seminars is a much smaller conference than Convergence.