Calling all artists!

The Artistic Committee of the Pan-Canadian Young Feminist Gathering Waves of Resistance is looking for different kinds of artists for this event, to be held October 11, 12 and 13 in Montréal. The Gathering hopes to bring together 300 to 400 young women, aged 14 to 35, from all regions of Canada. Waves of Resistance is planned as a participatory event where young women and young feminists will be able to meet, exchange ideas, share their analyses and experiences as young women, discuss issues affecting them directly, collectivize their feminist struggles and party together!

Do you feel you have the soul of an artist? Are you an artist? Are there women in your circle who fit what we're looking for? Nothing could be simpler! First read about the different ways you can be "artistically involved" and then fill out the attached form and send it in before August 22, 2008.

These are the activities to choose from:

1) Permanent exhibition: Are you an accomplished artist with works to show (paintings, crafts, drawings, sculpture, pottery, etc.)? Your work could be displayed for the duration of the Gathering in the public hall of the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), where the event will be held.

2) Video/documentaries: During the Gathering, we plan to have a video/documentary corner, to show different feminist works. We would like the filmmakers to make a short presentation on their project, in person, on video, in writing, etc.

3) Artistic expression stands: For the duration of the Gathering, various workshops will be organized for participants. However, we'd like to add a more artistic side to the event by having stands scattered around UQAM where young women can give themselves over to different artistic and feminist expressions (e.g., collective mural, making buttons, stencils, silk-screens). Are you interested and would you like to suggest a stand of this kind to us? Feel free!

Note: These stands are for artistic presentations ONLY. We will offer stands for groups and organizations shortly.

4) Big feminist show on Sunday, October 12, 2008: A huge show will be staged Sunday night! We're looking for a variety of young women artists and/or feminists to put on an unforgettable evening. Whether it's singing, dancing, theatre, circus art or something else, all ideas are welcome. To participate in creating the show, don't just fill out the form; please send us a demo (see address below) or a link to a website where we can hear or see your talents! During the show, a space will be reserved for the artists so that they can display their material (disc, promotional material, etc). Most likely, the Artistic Committee won't be able to accept all the numbers submitted (time constraints, material needed and/or diversity of numbers and women on stage). We'll let you know as soon as possible.

5) The Manifesto needs illustrators! We want to leave the Gathering with a common tool, a manifesto to reflect our discussions, analyses and the battles we are fighting and want to fight as young women and young feminists. The manifesto will transcend the meeting; it will be a way to leave our mark and to be heard by the women's movement as a whole. But we want to give it an artistic touch, and so we call on activist illustrators to make their contribution to this great common tool! If you want to be one of those illustrators, contact us at mobilisation@rebelles2008.org.

Note that the Artistic Committee can pay for the transportation of ONLY a few artists involved with the show, but we encourage all young feminists to do raise funds for their own travel expenses. (Attached you will find a funding kit that might be very useful to you.)

So there you have it! If you want to submit an exhibition, a video/documentary, an idea for an artistic expression stand, or you want to be involved with the show, just fill out the attached registration form for the artistic part of the Gathering and send it to us (along with your demo or website for the show) before September 15!

For information or to register:

Fédération des femmes du Québec
Eve Cantin Lafrance
110 rue Sainte-Thérèse, bureau 309
Montréal, Qc
H2Y 1E6
E-mail: ecantinlafrance@ffq.qc.ca
Tel.: 514-876-0166, extension 262