RE-VISION Performing Arts Festival

CHLOE AUSTIN PRESENTS:

R E - V I S I O N

Performing Arts Festival, Belfast, September 6th & 7th, 2019

The aim for this festival is to create various platforms inside and outside of artistic environments for all performance artists identifying as feminist or holding feminist possibilities within their practices. This will include interrogating gender inequality in society, fighting for empowerment of women and addressing issues relating to identity, gender and sexuality. The personal is political, what does this mean to you and what can this look like through performance?

The main theme within this two-day performing arts festival is contemporary gender politics and connecting issues and configurations of power. How can a more creative approach; such as performance art, drama and spoken word, create a space to explore emotions and engage in feminist discourse? This festival aims to move beyond gender mainstreaming and to inspire engagement and action.

Objectives of RE-VISION Performing Arts Festival 2019:

Revisioning feminism for/with the next generation:

The feminist battle continues to address the image of the body where social and political issues are raised, debated and often ignored. We are forced to reconsider many things from recent situations, allegations and accusations, but above all, we reconsider the treatment and regard of women and LGBT+ community.

We are constantly reminded that in our society, there is a still a very clear general consensus about what is considered ‘right’ and ‘desirable’. The development of performing arts is closely connected with the articulation of feminist issues. Taking authority over their own bodies, performance artists often step outside of their comfort zone to address how these bodies should be treated as well as represented. RE-VISION aims to activate what is supposed to remain silent and brandishing what we have been taught is ‘wrong’ or ‘disgusting’, representing a threat to established codes.

Opportunities to meet and work alongside other emerging and more established artists:

Belfast is bursting with history, culture and arts education/organizations/galleries. This city offers many insights into contemporary art practice. This festival invites performance artists from Ireland and UK to collaborate, address and engage in ideas in the company of other emerging and more established artists. This will help inspire and influence our artists to continue to raise awareness on such an urgent topic within contemporary society.

Stepping inside and out of a gallery setting, gaining a wider range of audiences:

This festival will strive to create spaces both public and private for the performing artists. The issue of contemporary gender politics goes beyond the artistic environment, so the opportunity to perform within different settings such as parks, pubs and cafes would reach and engage with a wider and diverse audience. However, as this is a very emotional and personal topic to many people, it is understood that a small and ‘safer’ gallery environment would be suitable for some of our artists involved, such as a performance artwork.

Offering opportunities to promote their practices and support emerging artists addressing such issues:

RE-VISION is both a subjective exploration of performing arts and a gendered one. The festival gives the artists the support to engage their emotions on such topics, meeting with other artists with similar struggles in relation to equality.

RE-VISION was founded by visual artist Chloe Austin who is currently in her last year of MFA Fine Art at Ulster University. Her passion for performing arts and LGBT+ community is what sparked the ideas behind this festival. This is not a funded festival, all organizations involved have been supporting this and donating spaces as they believe in the themes and issues addressed within this festival as much as Austin’s team does.

The team behind the festival is a small, but a hard-working and talented one, including Event Manager Jennifer Alexander, also an MFA Fine Art Student and the amazing Host of ‘That’s Dead Alternative’ Stephen Sherwin/Onya Becks.

Events:

‘Speak It Now Eat It’, Spoken Word/Drama/Music followed by Open Mic

Friday 6th September, 6 PM, The American Bar

Enjoy a night of various performers from a wide range of backgrounds, including Spoken Word, Music, Drama and Drag followed by a performance by the talented emerging artist Landi Kirkwood. The event focuses on contemporary gender politics with themes of identity, sexuality, power and gender. Fresh and aspiring artists hit the stage striving for the experience of performances that dwell into humanity, equality and diversity among other issues.

Following the event, there will be an Open Mic. Everyone is warmly welcome to participate particularly queer and feminist poetry enthusiasts, performers and people inspired by the theme of the event. RE-VISION aims to celebrate the rich diversity of queer and reinforcing the community.

‘Speak It Now Eat It’ event will showcase 4 performance acts from poetry to a play. The performers have 15 minutes each, allowing Open Mic to have 10 slots with 3-5 minutes each. There will be a photographer present on the night.

Line Up:

Chloe Austin (opening) – 6 PM

Steve Amos

Colin Hassard

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Chaos Theory Theatre’s ‘Dancing In The Dark’ by Niamh Collins

Aidan Campbell (Chucky Orlaith)

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Landi Kirkwood - 9 PM

Open Mic – 10 PM

‘Seeing You Seeing Me’, Performance Art

Saturday 7th September, 12 AM – 6 PM, Various locations

There will be 8 performance art acts throughout Belfast City Centre where we will have our artists rethinking about the nature, role and experience of art and its relationship with audiences. Our artists vary between emerging and established as well as coming from different artistic backgrounds, for example, architecture.

Our artists address the themes within contemporary gender politics and connecting issues and configurations of power. Through using their bodies within their thought-provoking performances, they inspire engagement and action.

The performances will take place throughout various locations including Golden Thread Gallery, Fenderesky Gallery, The Black Box and more.

Line Up:

Emma Brennan - ‘TBC’ – Accidental Theatre – 12 PM -1 PM (durational)

Phil Keers – ‘Grow A Pear’ – Accidental Theatre – 12 PM – 1 PM

Niamh Seana Meehan - ‘LoveSeat’ – The Black Box – 2 PM (durational)

Lykke Soenderkaer – ‘Visual Reminder of Recurring Ick’ – Golden Thread Gallery – 2.30 PM

Eva Avenue - ‘A Brief History Of How Women's Fashion Used To Be Men's Fashion’ – The Black Box, 5PM

Amar Chekchak & Keelan Brown - ‘Gesture Atelier’ – Fenderesky Gallery, 4 PM (durational)

‘That’s Dead Alternative’, Queer Performing Arts Competition hosted by Onya Becks

Saturday 7th September, Doors 8:30 PM, The Black Box, £4 Entry

Introducing our all new Queer Arts Competition in Belfast, bringing amazing and talented contestants/performers to battle it out for the crown to see who is “Dead Alternative 2019”. This event is hosted by the amazing Onya Becks.

Featuring an ALL-STAR judging panel and an amazing list of prizes including £250 cash prize, a pair of gloves by the wonderful Chloe Dougan, Make-up lesson by Stevie Lennox, Wig and wig restyle by Fierce Wig, a professional photoshoot provided by Glenn Norwood and a voucher for Pizza Punks Belfast.

Tickets for the event are £4 at the door with proceeds going to Cara-Friend to help young members of the LGBT+ community. This event also is in support of Trans Pride NI.

Contestants:

Venus Black

Carl Connielinigus

The Dancettes (Nikkie Stewart and Racheal Harris)

Robyn Diamonds

Chucky Orlaith

Malibu Perry

King Phisher

Inter Stella

Charra Tea