Welcome to an international networking meeting for feminist comics artists in Hanaholmen Culture Center (near Helsinki) Friday 4. and Saturday 5. October 2013.

The seminar is mainly aimed for comics professionals and people whose work is somehow related to comics (librarians, journalists, visualists, teachers etc.). Comics readers and fans are warmly welcome as well!

The seminar program starts on Friday at 13 h and ends around 18 h. On Saturday the program starts at 11 h and ends around 14-15 h.

There will also be a small exhibition about the works of the official guests at Hanaholmen Culture Center 4.10.-24.11.

The meaning of this first meeting is to meet and network. As a network we can share our knowledge, experience and international contacts for the good of us all. This first meeting will hopefully also generate further happenings in the future: exhibitions, meetings, publications and what not.

Due some last minute changes on guests, revised program at week 39. So far we know this much for sure:

Confirmed guests:

Rikke Bakman http://rikkebakman.blogspot.fi/

Rikke Villadsen, Danmark http://www.rikkevilladsen.dk/

Kaisa Leka, Finland http://www.kaisaleka.net/pa_svenska/jag/

Hanneriina Moisseinen http://www.elisanet.fi/moisseinen/

Rut Anderson, Sweden http://www.svd.se/kultur/rut-och-harry-ar-svds-nya-seriemakare_3418943.svd

Saskia Gullstrand, Dotterbolaget, Sweden http://www.dotterbolaget.com/

Each invited guest is giving a small presentation of their own work. Other subjects:

-a discussion on women’s and other minorities’ position in comics field in respective countries. In most European countries majority of comics students are women nowadays. Gatekeepers (publishers, editors, critics, teachers…) still tend to be men. Is this something we should pay more attention to? What stories we may not see in comics because the scene is still very straight and white?

-gray statistics made into cool narrative infographics, case Ladydrawers of Chicago (see for example here http://issuu.com/a_d_gallery/docs/catalog_print?e=3685664/3622673 and here http://ladydrawers.wordpress.com/ ) – would it be inspiring to do something like this comparing scenes in Nordic countries?

-women as comics readers. Women make the most of audience of any given form of culture except comics. Why is this? How could this be changed? case: Laydeez do Comics (UK) http://laydeezdocomics.com/ I think other project can be found as well, from Nordic countries and elsewhere.

-plans for the future. Finnish Comics Society already made a grant application for this project to continue it next year. We proposed to organize for example workshops for the artists as well as newcomers, exhibition and stage program at the comics festival etc. We’ll know by the end of this year, whether we get the funding.

If you would like to attend the meeting from abroad, it is possible to ask for travel grants from your own country. We’ll be happy to provide official invitations and help with other travel arrangements.

Ilmoittautuminen /anmälning /enrollment: Hanaholmen-Hanasaari web page

Organizers of this meeting are

Finnish Comics Society http://www.sarjakuvaseura.fi/fi/in-english

NordiComics Network http://nordicomics.info/

Hanaholmen Cultural Center http://www.hanaholmen.fi/en

and the embassies of Danmark, Norway and Sweden.