23th-26th of august in Leipzig, Germany

Finally there will be a ladyfest again in Leipzig. We welcome you to a great feminist d.i.y. festival, with lots of music, workshops, lectures and discussions.

Why LADYFEST?

Why in this place, why today and anyway?
Because the situation is still like this: patriarchical, sexist...
Because there is just male and female and nothing in between...
Because many artistic, musical and political levels are still male dominated...
Like other LADYFEST organizers in many other towns we want to set something against the status quo – fun
and above all the feeling that we can move something. We want to encourage, show that it is worth trying and
realizing all the things which have existed only as our daring dreams until now.
By what means...? Anyway you like – operating behind the mixing desk, playing guitar, writing poems or texts,
discussing, questioning...just not keeping silent.
A LADY? What the hell is that – LADY In Red or something??
On the contrary! The term LADY as we use it connotes all the opposites of the stereotype you might have kept
in your head: being tough, self-determined and self-confident, knowing what’s up and at the same time being
okay with knowing not and making mistakes...
For better understanding a short LADYFEST herstory:
In the early 1990s the left-wing feminist movement within the punk and hardcore scene began as a reaction
against the domination of the music scene by men-only bands. Bikini Kill or Le Tigre were some of the most
famous bands emerging from the so-called Riot Grrrl movement. A steadily growing scene of female musicians,
artists, writers, DJs and other activists connected by an extensive network was the effect.
But soon the mainstream music and fashion industry discovered the “Girlism” style for their big profit. So the
political idea behind the terms “Riot Grrrl” or “Girlie” faded into empty fashion words without any meaning.
A new, more fitting term had to be created. When in the year 2000 in the US town Olympia the first Ladyfest
ever took place, the term Lady became an expression with broader connotations.