FESTIVAL NETWORK MEETING

Network of women’s, feminist and queer festivals in the Balkans

1^st Meeting at 8^th Red Dawns Festival

March 11^th 2007 at 15h, Menza pri koritu, AKC Metelkova mesto, Ljubljana, Slovenia

In October 2006, Red Dawns festival from Ljubljana sent a call for co-operation in Slovenian, Croatian and English to all the below listed women’s, feminist and queer festivals in the region. Even though these festivals largely differ in terms of their political views, artistic visions, festival programmes, audience and also in terms of their level of professionalism and financial status, the responses from the majority of festivals were very supportive of Red Dawns’ call for co-operation.

Most festival organizers agreed that there is a great need for communication between the festivals. Even though separate festivals have co-operated in the past (mainly by exchanging parts of programmes), there has been no attempts at co-operation on a more structured and profound level.

After an e-mail exchange of opinions, we have come to the conclusion that we need to see each other as soon as possible in order to get to know each other’s work better and make a detailed plan of our future co-operations. Red Dawns festival therefore invites you to Ljubljana where we can and hopefully will discuss the following issues:

1) on-line network as an effective tool for dissemination of information, exchange of ideas and mutual support (we will divide the work needed in order to make the web-based network functional)

2) possibilities for practical co-operation in 2007 (exchange of workers, exchange of programmes, joined organisation of individual events that require more work and finances than each separate festival could afford to do and invest, etc.)

3) possibilities for joined fund raising (division of work for writing applications to the following foundations: European Cultural Foundation, European Commission Youth in Action – Programme 5, Global Fund for Women and Mama Cash and possibly other foundations): for separate festivals, for joined organisation of events and for the next network meeting

4) future network meetings (Ana Jereb will present the idea that the next meeting with all festivals’ representatives present could be in September 2007 as part of the 2^nd annual Feminist Summer School; but we will discuss also other options)

The main reason why we want to organise a meeting already in March is that there is a very practical need for it: most festivals are due to happen in April and May. Since we would like to exchange programmes, this is the best time to discuss it. Since some of the festivals are not only lacking in programme items but also lacking in practical organisation skills, promotion skills, and also in fund-raising knowledge, we feel that this meeting can be a great opportunity to share our experiences and hopefully learn from each other.

Provisional Schedule

March 11^th 2007 at 15h, Menza pri koritu, AKC Metelkova mesto, Ljubljana, Slovenia

15h: Brunch with Zoe Gudović’s Deconstructing Cooking workshop

15h30 – 17h: Presentation of all festivals (suggestions):

-- Katja Kobolt will present City of Women festival

-- Anna Erlemark will present Red Dawns festival

-- Carla Ferreri will present Girlz are Weird festival

-- Tatjana will present AnarchoFemFest

-- Ankica Čakardić will present FemFest Zagreb

-- Danijela Dugandžić will present PitchWise festival

-- Zoe Gudović will present Queer Belgrade festival

-- Tina Dajovska will present FemFest Skopje

17h30-19h: Discussion about the above written issues:

-- on-line network

-- co-operation in 2007

-- joined fund raising

-- future network meetings

21h: Concert:

Virginia Genta (accompanied by David Vanzan) (saxophone improvisation, Italy)

The Tiptons (all-girl saxophone quartet with drums, USA)

For further info on how to participate at the Network Meeting, please write to: rdece.zore@gmail.com (Subject: Network Meeting)