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Grantees and Residents Working for Social Change:

A media artist in Whitesburg produces the Appalachian Women Radio Project, a multi-media arts project designed to bring young rural women’s voices to the public through the airwaves and the internet.

A Louisville poet participates in a one-week residency at Hopscotch House and edits a new manuscript of poems, using the creative community and surroundings to inspire the completion of her work.

Two Lexington writers produce a chapbook chronicling the lives of Mexican women immigrants living in Kentucky and their mothers at home in Mexico.

A photographer in Paducah collaborates with young western Kentucky mothers to create a series of photographs and writing based on their experience.

A fiber artist in Louisville conducts expressive art workshops with a group of women suffering chronic mental illness, and creates an exhibit of their work.

A women’s theatre company dedicated to re-examining history from women’s perspectives holds a week-long retreat at Hopscotch House to work on a series of one-woman shows.

Welcome to KFW!

Celebrating 25 years of feminist art for social change

The Art Meets Activism Grant Application and Additional Information are now available

Application Deadline postmark date:
March 2, 2012

Participatory Art Meets Activism Grant Workshops (Please RSVP to team@kfw.org or call the KFW office)

All workshops include networking time and discussions of feminism, art for social change and grant application components. Free and open to the public. Healthy snacks or light meal provided.

Louisville: Monday, February 6th, 5:30pm-8:30pm, Louisville Free Public Library, Main Branch, Centennial Room, 301 York St.

Richmond: Wednesday, February 8th, 5:30pm-8:30pm, Madison County Public Library, 507 W Main St. Richmond

Madisonville: Saturday, February 11th, 9:30am-12:30pm CST, Madisonville Community College, John H. Gray Building, Rm 305, 2000 College Dr.

Information about Interim Requests for Hopscotch House taking place between now and April 1

For information about how to request time and space at KFW’s retreat center, please see the Hopscotch House page or contact Erin Fletcher, Interim Hopscotch House Coordinator, by email at erin@kfw.org or calling 502-562-0045 or toll free (866) 654-7564.

The mission of the Kentucky Foundation for Women is to promote positive social change by supporting varied feminist expression in the arts. When women and girls advance, so does Kentucky.

KFW carries out its mission through:

Two Grant Programs: Each year the Foundation awards $200,000 to feminist artists and social change organizations in Kentucky through two grant programs: Artist Enrichment and Art Meets Activism.

Residencies and Retreats for women and girls: Hopscotch House Retreat and Residency Center is a KFW program that serves women and girls in Kentucky by providing a supportive setting for feminist artists and activists to create, connect, and convene.

The KFW Hot Flash: E-News for Everyone: Weekly and Special Edition emails include announcements, opportunities, and action steps.

Creating and sharing resources about feminism and social change: Check out the KFW Feminist Timeline. Have fun taking the Women’s History Quiz to test your knowledge. If you don’t know all the answers, don’t worry, see the Answers to the Women’s History Quiz, and learn more about our foremothers. If you visit Hopscotch House, be sure to spend time in the Library there, which offers a wide variety of websites, books, articles, and artwork on feminism and activism.

Although KFW focuses on Kentucky, you can participate in feminist art and social change wherever you live!

Here are a few examples of what you can do:

SUPPORT feminist artists in your community by attending their readings and performances, visiting galleries showing their work, and purchasing their art.

WRITE a letter to the editor of your local newspaper about how feminist artists contribute to the advancement of women and girls.

LEARN more about the history of feminism and activism in your hometown by interviewing wise women, like grandmothers, mothers, and aunts.

READ books and articles about feminism and activism. Feminism is for Everyone by Kentucky author bell hooks is a great place to start.

SHARE your favorite story about the positive power of feminist art with a friend.

START a blog highlighting your ideas on feminism, art, and social change as a catalyst to further discussion and understanding of these important topics.

To Contact KFW:
Kentucky Foundation for Women
1215 Heyburn Building
332 West Broadway
Louisville, KY 40202-2184
Phone: (502) 562-0045
Toll Free: (866) 654-7564
Fax: (502) 561-0420

team@kfw.org

The KFW Hot Flash, weekly enews for everyone, now goes out to over 1400 readers! If you know of an opportunity, event, or announcement for feminist artists and activists, or if you know someone who would like to receive KFW Hot Flashes, email team@kfw.org.

Feminist art "is neither a style nor a movement—it’s a value system, a revolutionary strategy, and way of life."

- From The Power of Feminist Art: the American Movement of the 1970s, History and Impact

"Artists should believe that there are ways to change the world by making art."

-Ann Stewart Anderson, KFW grantee, former KFW Executive Director

"We have a social and spiritual responsibility to fight for equality. What benefits us if we’re not bringing everyone with us?"

- Penny Sisto, KFW grantee, Fiber Artist

"The women in my family are not powerhouse women in government, but they're good, kind, making it on their own kind of women. They raised me to be who I wanted to be, because that's what feminism is all about, right? Being who you want to be, not having a societal cage."

- Kimberly Lawless, KFW grantee, visual artist