WOMEN AND THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT THURSDAY 13th An examination of the relationship between women and their domestic environment. Women involved in the Womanhouse project and the History of Women’s Aid Exhibition, Alison Marchant (photo-installation performance artist) and women involved in feminist architecture and planning will take part in this day-long section.
WOMEN AND MEDIA COVERAGE TO look at representations of women’s work in the Visual Arts in the media– participants will include Scottish-based artists, journalists and editors from arts/women’s art journals and magazines locally, nationally and internationally.
FEMINISM AND WOMEN’S STUDIES A look at the experiences, expectations, views and suggestions arising from women’s involvement in ‘Women’s Studies’. Where do they succeed Or fail and what are the ways forward? Val Walsh and Liz Bird will be joined by a host of others to discuss this vital point of women and education. Convenor, Kate Henderson.
WOMEN’S HISTORY IN THE VISUAL ARTS A forum for discussion of theoretical and practical issues concerning the recovery of women’s history within the arts, with a particular look at Glasgow. Session to be attended by Jude Burkhauser researcher and curator of the ‘Glasgow Girls’ exhibition. Convenor, Juliet Kinchin.
WOMEN IN THE ARTS IN LATIN AMERICA: THE SILENT CLAMOUR OF VOICES Why do we know so little about women in the arts in Latin America? The session will concentrate on this question whilst taking a look at the different forms of expression that give a voice to a female experience of Latin America. This will include looking at the arpilleras, the tapestries made in Chile as a resistance to dictatorship, by reading Latin women’s poetry, posing questions about the role of women in performance~ and finally looking at ways of combatting this silent clamour of voices, through translation and publication. Convenor, Catherine Boyle.
WOMEN AND PUBLISHING What aspects of pre- and post-publishing relationships between writers and publishers are conditioned by gender? Representatives from a variety of publishing houses–co-operatives; feminist; Commercial etc.–and women writers will discuss opportunities for and difficulties specific to women writers. Convenor, Dorothy Porter.
FRIDAY 14th
WOMEN IN PHILOSOPHY A number of discussion-based workshops will take place during most of the day– Susan Kozel (philosophy and movement/dance); Cei Tuxill (Nursing Ethics); Ruth McManus (feminist theories of experience); Elin Svenneby (feminism and phenomenology); Georgina Prodham (censorship); Soran Reader (philosophy and mothering); Liz Frazer (communitarianism); these will be followed with an opportunity for everyone to come back together and discuss the day’s workshops. Convenor, Ruth McManus.
COMMON AGENDAS TOWARDS DIVERSE REPRESENTATIONS Issues that have emerged from the female community of visual artists in Glasgow within the context of concerns central to women working in these fields nationally and internationally, will be surveyed to form a debate that anticipates Change, action, collaboration and consolidation of work achieved to date. Confirmed contributors are Val Walsh, Bobby Baker (performance artist), Rita Keegan, Katy Deepwell and Adele Patrick. Convenor, Alison Cairns.
CULTURAL/LITERARY THEORY This session will situate feminists literary theory in terms of production relations, culture and experience. It will consider the meanings and pleasures of the traditional gender order and it’s associated literary forms, enquiring whether recognition of such pleasures is mutually exclusive of earlier materialist feminist concepts of mythology, distorted communication, collective democratic control and individual liberation. Participants include Terry Lovell and Sarah Mills. Convenor, Bridget Fowler.
WOMEN AND SCOTTISH BROADCASTING Less than 10% of Scottish Journalists are women, with an even lower figure for media production. Strategies for positive intervention and change will be discussed alongside an examination of the situation as it stands. Participating will be journalists, producers, researchers, camerapeople and representatives from the Glasgow Film and Video Workshop Women’s Unit and members of Photoworks.
WOMEN AND PERFORMANCE In this day-long session women from different fields of the performing arts will create a forum to discuss issues concerning constricting and empowering roles (in all respects) adopted and experienced by women working in these disciplines: Women will be encouraged to discuss their experiences and ideas with a view to the creation of new networks, and agendas for change.
SATURDAY 15th
THE WOMEN’S ROOM, OR A ROOM OF ONE’S OWN For what reasons do women write? Is their experience of writing different from men’s? Do they make particular use of workshops and other support groups? These questions are discussed by well-known and new writers, both solitary and community or workshop based, Convenors, Ann Karkalas and Janice Galloway.
WOMEN AND THE MUSIC INDUSTRY From an examination of the position of women as musicians, singers, producers and sound technicians etc, and the inroads and subversions they have made within the Music industry we would like to look at ways of strengthening women’s involvement in all aspects of music, as consumers and producers. Participants will include Glasgow-based musicians, with discussion-based and practical workshops taking place in the afternoon (including a Voice Workshop led by Harriet Buchan).
FEMINIST, ART, AND PSYCHOANALYSIS Lorna Waite, co-editor of Variant magazine is co-ordinating this session and would like to encourage involvement for women in the planning and activity of the day’s debate, out of which the focus of the sessions will be determined. Convenor, Lorna Waite.
INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN ARTISTS Link-up with international journals of women in the arts. IAWA business, constitutional voting etc.
SUNDAY 16th
IRISH WOMEN ARTISTS LINK.UP A forum for women involved in the arts in Ireland and Irish women living in Britain to discuss their work and experiences as artists, to concrete networks and to discuss new ones. Contributors to this session will include Fiona Barber. Convenor, Cathy Wilkes.
WOMEN AND VISUAL ARTS EDUCATION This session concerns all women in art institutional frameworks, from tutors to students working both within and outside art college. Broad participation from all concerned is welcomed to share past experience and organize for future change. Convenors, Carolyn Angus and Sam Ainslie.
WOMEN’S POPULAR CULTURE IN SCOTLAND Is popular culture a people’s (let alone a women’s) culture? Are we consumers or producers? Angela McRobbie, Elizabeth Wilson and Liz Lochead will lead a discussion session for all interested women after the morning ‘Presentation’ section. Convenor, Barbara Littlewood.
FUNDING THE FUTURE Representatives from Scottish Arts Funding bodies will be attending this session to discuss with women’s (arts) groups, and individuals the possibilities for funding, In what ways should groups become more effective in financing and being financed? We hope that this debate will be in response to the diverse achievements and shortcomings of women’s organisations in financing projects, administration and expansion. Convenor, Christine Hamilton.
WOMEN AND COMMUNITY-BASED ARTS Looking at the involvement and impact women have made in community based arts projects/ groups, we would like to encourage discussion on the moving forward from the divisions that exist between Art and Community Arts, and women’s precedents in breaking down these and other artificial barriers e.g., in exploring methods of promoting, supporting and sustaining women’s creativity and image of themselves as cultural workers and creators.