Do you want to get involved in 2009?

"Redefining the idea of the women’s festival."  Lancaster Evening Post

Have you had a look at the 2007 festival programme and feel that you and your work would be a perfect fit for the next festival in 2009?  Though the majority of the programme is put in place directly by Brewery and guest programmers, we are always on the lookout for hidden talent and try to include up-and-coming artists alongside established and iconic performers as much as we can.  Showcase events in 2007 included Best of the North West - Music in the Vat's Bar, regional poets teamed with poets from the US, and collaborative pieces of dance and theatre with Guerrilla Girls On Tour, Open Clasp and Angika, as well as some of the best rising stars from inside and outside the UK.

"A cultural powerhouse.  One of the greatest aspects of this glorious festival so far has been the chance to discover some lesser-known acts." The Westmorland Gazette

"The important thing for me about showing there is taking my place among other really interesting artists who wouldn’t necessarily find a platform for their work elsewhere."  Tina Keane, interviewed in The Times

We pride ourselves on creating a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere for visiting artists, and our teams of technicians, volunteers, front of house, box office, catering and event staff, all work hard to make the experience as enjoyable and productive as possible.

The after show party....

What the 2007 artists said:

"What a fine time we had at your festival, Kate and I.  I loved it.  Everyone was lovely to us, we found the ambience a total delight, and we met some lovely lovely folk.  Thank you so much for asking me."  Ali Smith

"The Festival encouraged us to take the challenge creatively.  Thank you so much!  It has been a privilege and everyone has been fantastic!" Angika

"Thanks ever so much.  A great venue, crew, foh, everyone - including audience and location.  Much more please." Deborah A Williams

"5 flavours of crisps?  WOW!!!" Arthur Peabody (Slayer)

and the press....

"The mother of all festivals"  The Guardian

"One of the best line-ups of all this summer's festivals"  the Guardian

No.12 in The Independent's top 50 festivals

 

How to apply

From June 2007, we would like to invite expressions of interest from female artists from around the world for the next Women's Arts International Festival in 2009.
We are looking for women who:

• Work in any artform, or across artforms, whether as artists or in a non-artistic role within the arts; or
• Have an interest or involvement in Women's Studies; and
• Are willing to attend the Festival in 2009 on agreed dates and times.

We are particularly interested to hear from women who are:

• Working in new or interesting ways and producing work which is socially, culturally or artistically significant;
• Producing work that challenges perceptions of work by women artists and provokes debate and discussion;
• Are keen to engage in debates, participate in question and answer sessions, or sit on panel discussions;
• Would consider a term of residency, or are able to deliver workshops or lectures;
• Are willing to explore new collaborations and partnerships and open to sharing their skills, enthusiasm and experiences.

Expressions of interest must include the following:

• Examples of your work (if applicable), such as CDs, images or publications. We cannot return your work so please do not send anything you can't live without;
• Information about you and what inspires your work;
• Brief statement outlining why you would like to be considered for this festival;
• What you would be willing to do while at the festival, such as workshops, lectures, panel discussions, and an indication of your anticipated fees;
• Full contact details including website address and/or my space address if applicable (though please note that a website or my space address are not a substitute for providing any of the above information).

Send all information by post only to:
Women’s Arts International Festival 2009, Brewery Arts Centre, Highgate, Kendal LA9 4HE, England. 

If you require assistance with your submission, or need to submit in an alternative format, please contact Linda Graham, Festivals and Events Co-ordinator, on admin@womensartsinternational.co.uk or telephone +44 (0) 1539 722833 ext 242.

Unfortunately we cannot guarantee that you will be selected.  Due to the high number of submissions received, it is not always possible to inform you if your submission is not chosen at this time, nor can we let you know the reasons.

Please note that programming decisions are taken by a team of programmers and can take some time.

The closing date for receipt of all submissions is midnight Friday 31st October 2008.