International women's day brief 20th November 2013

Vanessa from IWD Derbyshire came to talk to us about the brief and women's day on Saturday 8th March 2014.   She was very enthusiastic and gave some facts and figures about women and men and what IWD is all about and it's aims.   It is a celebration, a festival.  My first thoughts were it's a feminist bunch but I listened further and thought that if women like Vanessa weren't highlighting some of the facts she raised then nothing will change.   Some of the statistics she gave included:

• 1 in 4 women is a victim of domestic violence
• 1 in 6 men were victims of domestic violence
• 50% of law graduates were women but only 15% of high court judges are women
• 8% of women make up engineers
• in China it about 30-40%
• half of 3-6 year olds are worried about being fat (not sure how they got these stats)
• by age 9 they had been on a diet
• 11-17 year olds had one wish - to be thinner (which I have to say is wrong and worrying)

Opportunities available

• poster and flyers - graphic designers I think
• magazine  giving information about the event including a layout map, timetable, interviews

The theme is generations and colours are purple green and white which goes back to the suffragettes who wanted women to have the right to vote.  

I asked what opportunities there are for arts and crafts and Vanessa said on the day there would be a mini series of events leading up to the event

What I will get out of this is experience of working with other artists, working at a large international event, providing services for the event and a reference from IWD which Vanessa said is very important to them that they do.  They list exactly what we get involved in.  

I talked to Lance on 27th November about how I could get involved in this and he suggested maybe the interviewing (journalism) which is of interest to me.  The interviews are taking place in early January. 

Reflection
Again, I did initially criticise and think well there's nothing really for textiles but there is.   There's the workshops and now having spoken to Lance, the journalism which although not textiles to start with, I could present an interview in a textile format.  

To do
Research IWD
Think about how I could present the interviews