GWU Melbourne 2017: ‘The politics and performance of language’
How can we make language and art work to change the future?
15 & 16 June, 2017
National Gallery of Victoria (Clemenger Auditorium)
& Arts Centre Melbourne (The Channel & Stage Door Suit, Hamer Hall)
PLEASE NOTE: Each of the two days of Girls Write Up Melbourne will feature identical panels and events. Participants should purchase a ticket for one day only.
Girls Write Up is for anyone who has felt limited by their gender and wants to understand how language can not only constrain but also be used to liberate and empower. It is an inclusive event open to all teens from 12–18.
Over the day, authors, journalists, activists, artists, poets and other creative thinkers will share the ways they have used their writing to define their identities and shape the world around them. The program of panels and practical workshops explores the relationship between language, gender and power, and the effects of unconscious bias on our sense of self. It unpacks the ways that the female voice has been devalued in literary and popular culture, and gives participants the opportunity to discover their own creative voice, equipping them with the skills and the confidence to use it.
FAQ
This event will take place in venues across the National Gallery of Victoria and the Arts Centre Melbourne. Participants should all arrive in the student foyer of the National Gallery of Victoria by 8.45am to attend the first session in the Clemenger Auditorium.
Workshops
All participants will have the opportunity to enrol in one workshop. A link to pre-register will be sent to everyone with a valid ticket the week of Monday 29 May. Workshops will remain open until all places are filled; if you are registering for other people too, you must provide individual names and email addresses for each attendee. Workshops are open only to teens – adult ticket holders will remain in the main hall for the duration of the event. Participants can wait to register for workshops on the day but some may be booked out by then.
Who can attend?
All young people aged 12–18. Girls Write Up is for everyone who is interested in learning more about the relationship between language, gender and power, and in developing their own creative voice.
Girls Write Up is feminist, intersectional and inclusive. We encourage young people of all genders, sexualities, and cultural and racial backgrounds to attend. We are committed to ensuring that the Girls Write Up events are accessible and we encourage people with disability to attend – see ACCESSIBILITY INFORMATION below.
Whatever your previous level of writing experience and engagement, Girls Write Up is for you if you have ever felt limited by your gender and want to understand how language can not only constrain but also be used to liberate and empower.
Teachers and carers can also attend.
Subsidised places
Girls Write Up has limited subsidised places available for anyone who may be experiencing financial hardship. If your financial situation is preventing you from attending Girls Write Up, please contact us to request a subsidised place: schools@thestellaprize.com.au.
Accessibility information
Both the National Gallery of Victoria and Arts Centre Melbourne are wheelchair accessible. Please advise us in advance if you require wheelchair access so that we can ensure appropriate setup of the rooms.
All keynotes, panels and workshops can be Auslan interpreted, as required. If you are an Auslan user, please inform us which sessions you will be attending so we can ensure an interpreter will be present.
Please contact Stella Schools Coordinator Bec Kavanagh at schools@thestellaprize.com.au to inform us of any other access needs.
On the day
What do I need to bring with me?
Just yourself and your ideas! All attendees will be sent an info pack ahead of the event, with further information about what to expect.
Will lunch be provided?
Lunch will not be provided. Attendees can bring their own lunch, or there are food options nearby for students and teachers to purchase lunch in the break.
