09 April 2021 - 0 Comments

Celebrating their official launch last night, HER will be a two week festival which will start on International Women's Day - March 8th, 2022. HER is Aotearoa's only multi-genre festival dedicated to bringing together a community by and for women and people of marginalised genders, sharing their experience through music, art, performance, play, and learning to influence change. HER have set the ambitious goal of being the largest platform for all who identify as women in New Zealand, with all profits donated to Women's Refuge.

HER is for feminists of all genders, ages, and ethnicities who enjoy the arts, creative expression, self-development, and thought-provoking experiences. A curated programme from public submissions open to anyone, all are encouraged to submit their ideas about what they’d like to see in the festival, with assistance available to workshop ideas and production. The programming will offer an array of events for all, from girls aged 5 and up who are understanding what it means to be female in today's world, to 80-year-old second wave Feminists, and everyone in between.

Feminism is currently experiencing a fourth wave, with a 2020 Pew Research study concluding that feminists’ popularity is at an all-time high - 68% of female respondents saying they identified as one. In the global conversation, the resurgence of the far-right and campaigns such as #TimesUp and the #MeToo movement has brought feminism and women's issues to the forefront. At home, the effects of Covid-19 which have resulted in 90% of job losses in New Zealand affecting women. 

Festival Director Ella Mizrahi feels this context has created the perfect environment for a festival like this. “HER will provide a platform for women to connect, create and celebrate the length and breadth of what makes us, us. After having a daughter and loving the newfound motherhood tribe, I realised how much stronger women are when we lift each other up. It feels incredibly important to create a space for us to do that.”

An award-winning event producer who specialises in large-scale public events, Ella has spent the last three years working as Auckland Council’s Regional Events Lead in the Community Places Team, fostering communities with events like Proud Centres, Diwali, and Matariki Tūhāhā. She is also the co-founder of Celery Productions, a unique events company responsible for free community events and immersive experiences including Art In The Dark. 

The HER team are working to ensure maximum accessibility for all. Producers putting on events as part of the festival will be supported to ensure events can be delivered by women wherever possible, with upskilling workshops prior to the events, along with venue and equipment support. HER are working closely with Auckland Council with the focus on taking the festival across Tāmaki Makaurau, with the goal of being a regional festival with curated experiences in North, South, East and West Auckland. 

While the festival will initially plan for a domestic line-up of popular and powerful female speakers, writers, artists, activists and entertainers, the festival will aim to attract high profile international talent in future years as border restrictions relax. HER aims to be more than just a festival, instead creating a community of women who share similar values and experiences.

HER
March 8-20, 2022
Auckland wide
https://www.herfestival.co.nz/
 
Submissions are open now
Head to https://www.herfestival.co.nz/get-involved to submit an idea or
expression of interest in running an event as part of HER 2022
 
HER is sponsored by female owned companies Batchwell, TWR, Elephant Publicity,
with Auckland Council and ATEED

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