Art, Activism & Equity SymposiumCo-presented by the New Hazlett Theater, Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council & Women and Girls Foundation. Part of the Women in the Arts Festival
April 18, 2008–April 19, 2008
http://www.newhazletttheater.org/event/?event_id=130To register for the symposium or for more information, please call the New Hazlett Theater at 412-320-4610, ext. 17 or email
dsciranka@aol.com . New Hazlett Theater Allegheny Square East Pittsburgh, PA 15212 Phone: 412-320-4610.
The New Hazlett Theater, Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council and the Women and Girls Foundation present a dynamic symposium, Art, Activism & Equity, as part of the “Women in the Arts” Festival on April 18 and 19, 2008. The festival celebrates the accomplishments of women in the arts in Pittsburgh and connects the local arts community with national resources, trends, and philosophies. The symposium in April will explore solutions regarding Southwest Pennsylvania’s embarrassing record of women’s compensation rates, build networks among Pittsburgh’s emerging and established arts leaders while celebrating our region’s unique strengths as a center for individual accomplishment. The program will also explore politics and feminism and will encourage local action, connection to resources and coalition building.Details confirmed as of 4-1-08, additional details will be confirmed, added and sent as an update.
SCHEDULE
FRIDAY, APRIL 18, 2008, 2:00 – 9:00 PM
Registration and Welcome Reception – 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Opening Remarks – 2:00 PM – 2:15 PM
Jane Werner, Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh
Opening Presentation - 2:15 PM – 3:45 PM
Guerrilla Girls, featuring Frida Kahlo, on the history and work of the Guerrilla Girls in exposing sexism, racism and corruption in the art world, politics, film and pop culture. Guerilla Girls will explore stereotypes, based on their book “Bitches, Bimbos and Ballbreakers”. (
http://www.guerrillagirls.com/)
Workshops – 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Workshop A -- Crafting Your Life: Craftivism & Creating Community
Presenters: Faythe Levine and Elizabeth Perry
This session explores the concept of DIY from two perspectives: 1) the actual DIY movement occurring locally/nationally and 2) DIY in arts-based initiatives/projects. The workshop will also explore creating blogs, web presences and finding your voice in cyberspace.
This workshop will be spearheaded by Faythe Levine, Director and Author of “Handmade Nation: Documenting the rise of DIY Art, Craft & Design” (Book Release: November 2008, Princeton Architectural Press. Documentary Release: 2009), and Elizabeth Perry, BlogHER Innovator New Media Artist and creator of Woolgatherin, conceived as an 18th-century Commonplace Book brought to the Web (
http://www.elizabethperry.com/woolgathering).
Workshop B -- Guerrilla Girls
Getting active and initiating change. Limited to 30 people.
Reception – 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Hosted by Women and Girls Foundation
Panel Discussion – 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Panelists: To be determined
The quest for equality is still critical. Conversation will explore today’s feminist movement in the arts, in politics, in business and across generations.
Performance – 8:30 PM
Selected works by Vanessa German
Resource Expo
The main lobby will feature “resource” booths with information for artists and audience members to secure funding, get involved locally and globally, and spur their own projects.
SATURDAY, APRIL 19, 2008, 10:30 AM – 9:00 PM
Registration and Welcome Reception – 9:30 AM – 10:30 AM
Opening Remarks – 10:30 AM – 10:45 AM
Sara Radelet, New Hazlett Theater
Focus of the day will be on identity and equity both locally and globally.
Opening Presentation – 10:45 AM – 11:30 AM
Mellissa Swauger will present the Implicit Association Test, demonstrating that we all have subconscious discriminations whether we know it or not.
Lunch Break – 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Panel Discussion – 12:30 PM – 2:00 PM
Wage Equity – Heather Arnet, Women and Girls Foundation
In the United States, women earn an average of 76 cents to each dollar earned by their male counterparts. In Pennsylvania, the ratio is 73 cents to the dollar. In SW PA, the ratio is 69 cents. This discussion session will investigate the origins of those statistics and solutions and action steps locally and nationally.
Workshops – 2:30 PM – 4:30 PM
Workshop A and B -- Mini-Catapult Sessions
Presenters: To be determined
Catapult is a new project of the Women & Girls Foundation that matches trained, volunteer coaches with women who want to become more skilled and confident in their use of negotiation to improve their professional situations. The program grew out of a desire to support women seeking to negotiate salary increases, but good negotiation skills can support you in improving many other meaningful job-related issues, including benefits, promotion, title change, and/or work responsibilities.
Reception – 4:30 PM – 5:30: PM
PerformancesTo be determined 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM
Nicole Reynolds 6:45 PM – 7:45 PM
Soma Mestizo 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Resource Expo
The main lobby will feature “resource” booths with information for artists and audience members to secure funding, get involved locally and globally, and spur their own projects.
Resource Expo Presenters
Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council
Women and Girls Foundation
The Idea Foundry Handmade Arcade E-Magnify® women's business center at SetonHillUniversityThe PennsylvaniaCenter for Women, Politics, and Public Policy at ChathamUniversity
To register for the symposium or for more information, please call the New Hazlett Theater at 412-320-4610, ext. 17 or email
dsciranka@aol.comProgram Fees Friday & Saturday full program - $40/$20 students
Friday only - $25/$15 students
Saturday only - $25/$15 students
Evenings only $15 /$8
If your organization has a group of five or more, they can take advantage of the 10% discounted group rate. All registrations must be made at the same time.
Presenter and Performer Information
Heather Arnet
Heather Arnet serves as the chief spokesperson, fundraiser, and advocate for the organization. Since joining the Foundation as its first Executive Director, she has spearheaded Women and Girl’s Foundation’s efforts to pursue legislation at the city, county, and state levels for fair representation for women on Pennsylvania’s appointed boards, authorities, and commissions. In 2004, Arnet was selected as one of Pittsburgh’s “Top 40 under 40” by Pittsburgh Magazine. In 2003 she was honored with an award in "Art and Activism" from the Thomas Merton Center for Social Justice, and in 2005 AAUW awarded Heather a “Friend of Equity Award” for her work in fighting for women’s rights.
Vanessa German
Slam poet and visual artist, Vanessa German, has shown and performed throughout the country. A featured performer at the International Arts Festival in Grahmstown, South Africa, Vanessa's performance poetry could be seen and heard in Germany, Sweden, Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami, Olympia, and New Mexico. Vanessa was a 2005 and 2006 nominee for Emerging Artist of the Year at the PittsburghCenter for the Arts. She is the National Slam Bush Champion, Ink Tank Slam Champion, and was voted Best Spoken-word Poet by the Pittsburgh City Paper.
Guerrilla Girls
In their own words … Who are the Guerrilla Girls?
We're a bunch of anonymous females who take the names of dead women artists as pseudonyms and appear in public wearing gorilla masks. We have produced posters, stickers, books, printed projects, and actions that expose sexism and racism in politics, the art world, film and the culture at large. We use humor to convey information, provoke discussion, and show that feminists can be funny. We wear gorilla masks to focus on the issues rather than our personalities. Dubbing ourselves the conscience of culture, we declare ourselves feminist counterparts to the mostly male tradition of anonymous do-gooders like Robin Hood, Batman, and the Lone Ranger. Our work has been passed around the world by kindred spirits who we are proud to have as supporters. It has also appeared in The New York Times, The Nation, Bitch and Bust; on TV and radio, including NPR, the BBC and CBC; and in countless art and feminist texts. The mystery surrounding our identities has attracted attention. We could be anyone; we are everywhere. (
http://www.guerrillagirls.com/)
Faythe Levine
Faythe Levine is documenting the rise of DIY and the new wave of art, craft and design. Handmade Nation the book will be released by Princeton Architectural Press in November 2008 and the documentary with the same title will be released in 2009.
Growing up in Seattle during the 1990’s gave Levine firsthand exposure to many punk bands and the riot grrrl scene. This underground community quickly exposed her to DIY ethics, and she learned early on that you could release, self-publish and distribute your music and zines through a vast nationwide network of like-minded people.
In 2003, she found herself looking at an emerging movement that embraced both art and community, which can now loosely be defined as “the new wave of craft.” This movement is exploring the uncertainty of where fine art meets craft, redefining and reclaiming creativity. The new wave of craft is influenced by the history and techniques of traditional handiwork, modern aesthetics, politics, feminism and art.
Her roles have become diverse; from business owner, events organizer and curator, to artist, maker, director and, most recently, author.
Soma Mestizo
Christiane D’s lyrics tell unconventional stories in traditionally prose or poetic ways – more extreme that the folk ballads of Johnny Cash or Bob Dylan. Leach’s stories are like movies, with scenes set and emotions conveyed through the eyes of the characters, rather than recounting the exploits of “Frankie and Johnny”. At times, these songs can push the envelope of music, such as on “Next Victim”, a disturbing, percussion-laden track on Peepshow that stretches the border between song and prose.-Justin Hopper – City Paper
Elizabeth Perry
BlogHER Innovator New media artist Elizabeth Perry is technology integration specialist at the EllisSchool, a private girls’ school. Perry’s work is an extension of region-wide efforts linking girls and technology, such as The Alice Project . Representing Pittsburgh’s education and technology communities, Perry speaks this summer at BlogHER in San Jose, California, addressing the topic “Blog: Gallery or Canvas.”
In 2002, Perry designed and launched Woolgathering, conceived as an 18th-century Commonplace Book brought to the Web (
http://www.elizabethperry.com/woolgathering). Woolgathering boasted 47,546 visits in March 2006. For blog-geeks, the site features annotated bookmarks, what Perry dubs “a blog within a blog,” an impressive BlogHER Roll, RSS feed (Really Simple Syndication), and e-mail subscription. Perry characterizes Woolgathering as “a slow motion, time-based medium, combining elements of performance.”
Nicole Reynolds
The 24-year-old Pittsburgh native’s most recent disc, “This Arduous Alchemy,” is a collection of fetching come-ons and bittersweet yearning — or, in her own words, a “breakup and recovery album” — draped against a pastoral background of tuneful folk strains and rootsy meanderings infused with a jazz swing.
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New Hazlett Theater Allegheny Square East Pittsburgh, PA 15212 Phone: 412-320-4610
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