By Catherine Redfern | 26 July 2009, 14:47

Ladyfest Edinburgh is taking place on 25-27th September this year.

For details, check out the following websites:

http://www.myspace.com/ladyfestedinburgh
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=7816432651
http://www.ladyfestedinburgh.com/ [not updated with new dates as yet]

From the myspace page:

25th - 27th September 2009 Ladyfest Edinburgh is back with new events, new artists, and new venues, but the same great-tasting feminist ideals.

ART MUSIC LITERATURE DANCE COMEDY DISCUSSIONS WORKSHOPS.

….

Our aims:
- to celebrate female creativity across all artforms
- to create a space to rejuvenate discussions about feminism and its relevance in society today
- to create an alternative space with events organised primarily by women
- to give the opportunity for women to come forward and put on events/workshops and redress the balance of male dominated arts/music festivals
- to work in partnership with already established groups in Edinburgh and to make Ladyfest accessible to all
- to raise money for local charities including Zero Tolerance.

This project started out to get women together in a public space to talk about feminism, art, music, politics and culture in general. From here the idea is to nurture a network of people and groups who will continue to work together on different projects, and offer support to one another and to new people who want to get involved.

Through workshops and events we aim to challenge all forms of stereotyping. We want to stimulate discussions and learn new skills. We want to motivate women to stand up and use their voices politically, creatively and in their everyday home and work situations.

Ladyfest Edinburgh is an open forum where people are invited to come along to our weekly meetings to talk, get to know one another and feel free in the space to discuss and work on ideas and projects of both mutual and personal interest. By simply providing the space many women, some already active in the arts and some within small local groups, have been given the impetus to share their passions and opinions, to raise awareness as well as being active.

We have an open and experimental ethic and we are keen to explore different ways of working collaboratively and democratically but still outwith the normal structural hierarchies. The future of the group will be built on our need to grasp this free space and continue making a visible women’s culture. We want to work as a community to challenge all forms of oppression and add to the wealth of female voices and creativity past and present