From the earliest mentions of female painters in Greece to the spike in egalitarian ancestry in the medieval era to the strict traditions of the Baroque era and the more accepting European academies of modern history, the social expectations, decorum and attitudes impressed upon women throughout history have definitely made it difficult for ladies to train in artistic endeavors. As a result, female artists have had an even tougher time getting recognition for their contributions to larger social contexts and the world artistic community in general.
Today, women throughout the world can share their work at Ladyfest, a community-based, not-for-profit global arts festival for female artists (of all types) since 2000. Motivated by the likes of Sleater-Kinney, Cat Power, Neko Case and Sarah Dougher, its first successful event (with about 2,000 attendees) in Olympia, Wash., has now grown to include thousands of urban centered festivals in locales like Melbourne, Australia; Ottawa; Glasgow, Scotland; Belgium; Cardiff, Wales; Chicago, and this year, Northeastern Pennsylvania.
Motivated by her amazing action in improving Northeastern Pennsylvania, Jessica Meoni explains the difference between the original vision of Ladyfest, a female-artist-centered festival, and her awareness-raising concept for Scranton. She writes, “The festival is not just for women. For Scranton Ladyfest it is more about raising money for the Women’s Resource Center [while] showcasing that girls can rock.”
NEPA Ladyfest is organized by many excited volunteers, such as local ladies Cristin Powers, Andrea Talarico, Maureen and Megan Duffy, Kristen Morris and Jane Kopas.
“Men are very much welcomed,” says Meoni, bringing in other helpful supporters such as Conor McGuigan, Conor O’Brien from the Vintage Theater and R.J. Harrington from Embassy Vinyl. All are sure to make the fest a great success.
Prefacing Ladyfest is the Ladyfest Kickoff Party on June 27 at 6 p.m. at the Vintage Theater. For $5, the festival’s kickoff party is like a delicious aperitif and features a taste of some of the bands, musical groups, performance artists, spoken word and visual artists and workshops that will perform and present their work at the main event on July 24 at Nay Aug Park.
The Ladyfest Kickoff Party includes artwork from Brad Kishbaugh, Melissa Diltz, Alec Hinz, Desiree Zielinski and 14 other artists, as well as handmade vintage crafts and raffles from GreenBeing, Kaiser Photography, Oh Sweet Josephine and others. There is also a kickass band lineup. Carlene Majorino, Donnie Kirchner, Empty Cases, No West and Satellite will perform, as well as an open-mic poetry reading and the Lotus Fire belly dancers. Vegan-friendly food will be provided for festivalgoers by Eden.
This festival also promotes local craftsmanship from handmade, vintage hair clips, organic soaps, hand-painted glassware and records to horror movies and even mobile cell-service carriers. Some of the vendors include Magpie Vintage, Metro Gypsy, Shoplift!, Chakra, Electric City Tattoo, Eighty8 Designs, Embassy Vinyl, GreenBeing, Stitch & Bitch, Kitty’s Crafts, Lemon Twist Vintage, Duffy Accessories, Nightmare Video, Lia Sophia Jewlery, Danielle and Co., The Portable Playhouse, Sprint, Food Not Bombs and Lollipop Facepainting.
Meoni adds a final note about the importance of the festival happening in our valley’s backyard.
“The most important thing to me about Ladyfest is showing the unity of wonderful people willing to come together for a cause such as this,” writes Meoni. “NEPA has an abundance of really great, independently owned businesses, hardworking bands of various genres, visual artists that span every medium, writers, actors and poets that express the same desires, frustrations and joys as we do, and plus, a melting pot of food! Scranton is a town we should be proud of! The history runs long and deep and shouldn’t be taken for granted.”
So do your part to help kick off a great event and a worthwhile cause by making NEPA a place where art and women can speak out openly.
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For more info on Ladyfest Scranton, visit myspace.com/ladyfestscranton
