Femme Folks Fest is produced by Pat the Dog Theatre Creation. Founded in 2006, Pat the Dog provides an essential home for the creation of extraordinary new works of Canadian theatre. The company is led by Artistic Director Lisa O’Connell. Lisa and I had been following each other on social channels for a while but we finally met for the first time earlier this month. I’m moderating a panel next month at Marit Collective’s Know Better, Do Better conference. The panel is on women in the arts and Lisa will be one of the panelists. (Find out about Marit Collective’s International Women’s Day Conference here). I chatted with Lisa to find out more about Femme Folks Fest.
1. How long has this idea been percolating?
It’s been a dream for years. Really inspired and kicked-up a million-plus when the CCPA (Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives) published their 2015 study which stated this was the worst place for women to live and work in Canada. I’ve lived here 30 years, and while it wasn’t a surprise it was incredibly demoralizing to see that fact in print.
In action, I began gathering the programming and arranging the funding (meaning: writing a whack of grants) since early 2019. I began discussing the possibility with the funders in 2018. By no means was this an overnight project. It was planned, strategized, and risk-managed from the get-go.
2. How did you decide on the programming?
First - I wanted to platform women identified or presenting - femme folks - and I wanted to do this in context with international conversations. Worldwide, March is celebrated as International Women’s month. We have scant programming throughout the month in this region that reflects this.
I wanted a mix of “first look” work that reflects the artist process (staged readings, creation installations) with a mix of “cooked work” (full productions and exhibits). This reflects well what it takes to make art - something that I believe is still not well understood by folks that consume art - our audience - but are not creators. This invitation to process allows all the folks in our community to share and see work at all levels of creation.
We blended all our presentations and productions with Community Conversations. For example, the production of Bike Face runs March 18-19 in the evening but during the afternoon March 19 we’re hosting a conversation led by Kate Pearce (WGSI) titled Moms Who (try to) Bike: Cycling Discussion for Femmes with Kids addressing the very real issue for cyclists in our region. These conversations are as important, critical really, as the piece of art/theatre following. Theatre is political, a conversation among the citizenry. Indie theatre is full of such pieces, but rarely do we have them in our community. We chose two pieces, Pet Me Pest Me being the other (housing insecurity and gentrification) which will also have a conversation prior to platform Talk + Theatre.
It was important to me to involve as many local artists and women-folk in this region as possible. We are still adding events! In fact, we have events already keyed up for 2021.
3. What do you hope people will take away from the event?
To see - I mean really see - firsthand the breadth of the work, conversation and community of femme folks in this region. Who are we? What do we care about? See us! We are here and we are making stuff. I also want the folks coming to FFF or even just looking at the poster or digital stuff on social media to be intrigued, excited about possibility in this region. There is a lot we are offering at FFF for folks to come out, see and share. And it’s all created by women/femme folks.
4. As the AD and producer of the event what do you hope to take away from the event?
Ah, you’re lovely to think of me. That we did it. That given incredible odds we made a month-long festival dedicated to women/femmes happen in this Region. THIS Region. Kick-ass.
5. What are your suggestions for taking the ideas of this festival beyond International Women's Day and International Women's Month?
Be inspired. Keep the conversation going. Ask yourself: What can I do? What can I make? Who can I talk to? Femme Folks Fest is an invitation to collaborate and converse. Theatre is active, provoking and fun. Put down that phone, walk away from that screen and come out - in person - to see something new, maybe even challenging. It’s good to get out.
Check out the schedule and get your tickets to Femme Folks Fest today.
Story by Glodeane Brown
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