BINGHAMTON, NY (WIVT/WBGH) – A collaborative arts event taking place on Saturday looks to promote good feelings and cross-cultural understanding.

Tabernacle United Methodist Church on main Street in Binghamton is hosting a performance called “Peace and Compassion.”

It will feature music by singers Theresa Lee-Whiting and Sarina Barrera accompanied by pianist Mary Lou Muratori and cellist Emily Creo.

At the same time, Egyptian painter Reda Abdelrahman will conduct a live painting using ancient techniques such as gold leaf and tempra.

Lee-Whiting says the idea came from Abdelrahman whose children attend the church’s free after school program.

“A meeting of different things. There’s a meeting of art and music. There’s a meeting of East and West. And we’re all coming together to try to make peace and compassion.”

Abdelrahman says, “Art can make a bridge between people. Between East and West, between me, with a background as a Muslim and Theresa with a Christian background.”

The event begins at 4 p.m. on Saturday.

Abdelrahman says he plans to finish the painting in an hour.

It will be produced in 24 separate panels, all of which will be sold at an online auction afterward to raise money for the afterschool club and the church’s other community outreach programs.

The event is free but donations will be accepted.

This is the first in a series of events to celebrate Tabernacle’s 150th anniversary.