Digital_Archives

An anti-sexist magazine that was produced by a working collective of socialist men and launched to coincide with the London Men's Conference in 1978. From the editorial of their first issue:

"This is the first year of Ladyfest Northwest here in Humboldt County California. So far we have a line-up of great artists and hope to be able to achieve the goals of ,#1, having a great time and seeing some great musical performances #2 providing some awesome workshops/demonstrations such as filmmaking, clothpad making, and stilt-walking, for example, and #3 to be able to donate some $ to local women's organizations, like Women for Shelter. Many of these plans are tentative and in the works and much of it's success depends on people who care about these issues to get involved.

"Ladyfest er en arena for opplevelser, underholdning og inspirasjon. Tanken bak er å vise fram kvinner som skapende aktører, samtidig som man skaper møteplasser for utveksling av erfaringer, feiring og debatter.

"Lady..was?! Ladyfest!

This zine is a way to show how we can make the changes we want to see in our
culture, by ourselves.

-To inspire others
-To show how easy it can be
-To harness potentials
-To show DIY-in-action
-To show that we all have the potential to be creative producers and creative
consumers everyday
-To share tips
-To explore how and why we do the things we do
-To show creative alternatives to blind consumption of mainstream culture

Articles include:
Booking and Organising spoken-word tours, Curating Art Shows, Being a queer femme performance artist, Making Comics, Making poster artwork for gigs and events, Making your own animations, Making your own [documentary] films, Making Zines, Opening your own independent Gallery Space, Organising a Zine Fest, Organising Comedy Nights, Putting on Gigs, Putting on your own club night, Running a Magazine, Running a Zine Distro, Running your own record label, Recording Albums, Opening up your own Vegan Cafe, Screen printing, Setting up a Zine Library, Starting your own publishing house, Starting your own band, Starting your own theatre company, Writing and performing poetry, Writing and Publishing your own Book, Organising an Exhibition, Opening your own Shop, Opening your own Comic Shop.

"ABOUT LADYFEST
Ladyfest provides an opportunity for visitors to discuss and take action on their views on topics such as misogynism in the arts and beauty standards. It allows people attend shows by female performers,and have a good time in a space where they felt comfortable to be themselves. Ladyfest is a breath of fresh air to male dominated corporate sponsored music festivals where only a handful of women are "lucky" enough to perform every year.

HER-STORY OR CUNT-ROVERSY?

Founded by Lesley Riddoch. Shortlisted for Orwell Prize. Unsuccessfully sued by Harpes and Queens before being declared bankrupt.

Excerpt from interview (4.10.2005), http://livingmemory.org.uk/rememberwhen/interview/intHC.html

Helen Chambers: I got my first proper job which was Harpies and Quines magazine which was a feminist magazine, published in Glasgow which Lesley Riddoch was involved in starting so I did that for a while.

Vicky Woods: What was it called?

"LADYFEST NORWICH 2010
so what the hell's all this talk of LADYFEST NORWICH then??

well....this year marks the tenth anniversary of LADYFEST, a worldwide festival that celebrates female creativity. as a born and bred norwich resident, it became apparent that being such a purveyor of gender equality in creative industries, norwich was missing out on all this lady action and celebration. SO, on the 31st july, after partying it up with the norwich pride parade, norwich arts centre will host a unique display of female talent from local shores and further.

Ladyfest Berlin will happen from 16th to 19th of September 2010.