Women’s Wednesdays: Women in the Arts
The Bahamas is home to vibrant, diverse, and talented artist communities. This month, we will be turning the spotlight on women in the arts. Bahamian women are breaking silences about social, cultural, and political issues through their artwork. On August 7th, we’ll bring together a panel of women artists — June Collie, Jalan Harris, Jodi Minnis, Angelika Wallace-Whitfield, and Xan Xi — to talk about their work and ask the following questions:
– What has been your experience as a woman creating art in The Bahamas?
– How is art being used (and how can it be used) to address issues regarding gender and sexuality?
– How do you see art influencing people and functioning in our communities at a time when society is polarized on many issues?
-What challenges do women artists face in creating and sustaining their art projects, and what strategies can we adopt to better support them?
-How does (and how can) art connect women across the Caribbean and African Diaspora?
– How is art being used (and how can it be used) to address issues regarding gender and sexuality?
– How do you see art influencing people and functioning in our communities at a time when society is polarized on many issues?
-What challenges do women artists face in creating and sustaining their art projects, and what strategies can we adopt to better support them?
-How does (and how can) art connect women across the Caribbean and African Diaspora?
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Women’s Wednesdays was founded by Equality Bahamas as a response to community members’ requests for a space to access resources, experts, and practitioners, share knowledge, and engage in conversation with one another. Officially started in May 2017, Women’s Wednesdays highlights Bahamian women and our experiences in The Bahamas, specific to our identities including gender, race, sexuality, age, and ability. Held once per month at minimum, the events draw women together to have conversations that bring our individual lives into focus while connecting to family, community, and national narratives.
Women’s Wednesdays was founded by Equality Bahamas as a response to community members’ requests for a space to access resources, experts, and practitioners, share knowledge, and engage in conversation with one another. Officially started in May 2017, Women’s Wednesdays highlights Bahamian women and our experiences in The Bahamas, specific to our identities including gender, race, sexuality, age, and ability. Held once per month at minimum, the events draw women together to have conversations that bring our individual lives into focus while connecting to family, community, and national narratives.
#WW242 intentionally centers and prioritizes women and girls, and is open to the public through in-person events, livestreams, and social media activity. With the support of the National Art Gallery of The Bahamas, we create a safe space for knowledge-building, idea-sharing, critical dialogue, and movement-building.
Inspired by Equality Bahamas’ Women’s Wednesdays, there is now a similar initiative in Guyana, and other countries in the Caribbean are expected to follow.