RUMFORD – Imagine a jam session with the sounds of a bagpipe, an East Indian stringed instrument called a vina, and more traditional drums, horns and piano.

Think of water colors, acrylics, oils, colored pencils, charcoal and photography. Thinks of woodworkers, knitters, basket weavers, storytellers, poets, dancers and actors.

Think, too, of the dozens of other artists living and working in the River Valley area.

Jean and Boris Popovich, themselves adept at arts ranging from world music and its instruments, to yoga, poetry and playing the gentle strains of the flute, are trying to find these hundreds of people with special artistic skills to form the River Valley Arts Community, a term Jean said was softer and gentler than an organization.

“A council sounds too stuffy,” she said. “A community sounds like it is involved in the towns. We want to be a grassroots effort.”

Whatever it’s called, anyone with any of these artistic leanings is invited to gather Saturday afternoon at 5 p.m. to learn the direction an arts community could take. By the end of the evening, the Popoviches hope to have nailed down a date for the River Valley’s first visual and performing mini-arts festival. It will be the first, they hope, of many to come.

The gathering, another first of what Jean believes will become monthly events at various places in the River Valley area, will take place in the studios of the Popoviches’ home at 25 Urquhart St. in Strathglass Park.

“We’re artists,” said Boris, who is originally from Yugoslavia and a former music director in Boston. “We want to perform.”

The couple were also asked by Pennacook Art Center owner Lem Cissel to try to get the arts community together, said Jean.

“This is an exploratory meeting to find out what the arts community is willing to do, willing to give,” she said.

Those attending should bring a sample of their art, or a picture of it, their poem or prose, instrument or other art-related piece.

The couple is also working with Western Maine Foothills Arts leader Anne Geller to help get the local group going.

“We want to perform, to do things culturally in Rumford. We want to create an arts community so people can get together and talk about their work,” she said, adding that getting such a grassroots group together is requiring sheer willpower.

“We’re using that and a lot of love to get it going,” Jean said.

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