Young women as creators of new cultural spaces

A new phenomenon in female youth culture is the immense growth of non-profit, community-based, queer- feminist festivals created by young women that showcase and encourage the artistic, organizational and political work of women, so called "Ladyfests". Originating in Olympia (USA) in 2000, these Ladyfests have spread across the globe: So far 123 Ladyfests have taken place in 27 countries. But why has there been such a proliferation of Ladyfests? Do Ladyfests offer a new space and strategy where young women can create community, build activism, and express themselves culturally and politically, undermining and challenging normative, post-feminist discourses about young women`s success and choice? What possibilities, limitations and vulnerabilities with attention to class, race, gender and age dynamics do Ladyfests have? Most research so far has looked at youth as consumers of mass culture and neglected the degree of their active involvement in cultural productions. This study takes Ladyfests as an example and point of departure for an exploration of cultural practices by young women today. The main aims are to assess, analyze and interpret the creation of Ladyfests by young women as new cultural spaces in the history of women-owned and feminist spaces and in the context of three discourses, namely (a) young women as cultural producers, (b) the post-feminist `undoing of feminism` (McRobbie), and (c) the concept of active youth citizenship. Central to an in-depth analysis are the consideration of intersecting and interwoven notions of power (Foucault), space (Lefebvre, Massey, Soja), and gender (Butler, McRobbie, Harris). My hypothesis is that Ladyfests mark a new cultural space because of new modes of expression, communication, networking, and cultural and political engagement of and among young women on a local and global, real and virtual level that break with traditional frameworks and offer new possibilities for the enactment of youth citizenship. The study builds on my previous research on independent media production of young women. Methododically, first an analysis of Ladyfests and all interrelated projects and participants will be conducted, archiving and providing all information on a web site that will be built during the course of this project. Second, a survey with Ladyfest organizers, performers and audience members as well as 5-6 ethnographic case studies in various countries will be conducted to explore these cultural spaces and practices in-depth.