Linz, July 21, 2005

FIFTITU% - the networking center for women in art and culture in Upper Austria demands that gender mainstreaming concepts be developed for the reallocation of Upper Austrian state exhibitions. Provincial exhibitions to develop concepts based on gender mainstreaming

Proposals for new provincial exhibitions starting in 2012 can be submitted to the province of Upper Austria until September 27, 2005. "The previous provincial exhibitions were thematically very male-dominated", criticizes FIFTITU% Managing Director Herta Gurtner, "That has to change".

FIFTITU% therefore proposes that the province of Upper Austria should require new project operators of provincial exhibitions to subject their concepts to gender mainstreaming. This will ensure that these major projects of the province of Upper Austria make an important contribution to gender equality. Women and men should not only be included equally in the selection of staff and artists, but the different life contexts of women and men must also be taken into account, especially in terms of themes.

There is a history of men and there is a history of women. A differentiated picture is only possible if conscious attention is paid to the differences," explains Andrea Mayer-Edoloeyi, board member of FIFTITU%, "Gender mainstreaming is an instrument for making these differences visible right from the start of project development. This also creates new and innovative content by taking into account previously underexposed perspectives".

Gender mainstreaming must also be taken into account for the provincial exhibitions that have already been fixed (until 2010), and this is still very possible for projects that will take longer to implement. Herta Gurtner emphasizes: "It is particularly important to give equal consideration to women and men in such large and high-profile cultural projects as the provincial exhibitions.2

As Head of the Department of Culture, Governor Dr. Pühringer is called upon to intervene in this area and, with gender mainstreaming, to provide future project operators with an instrument that promotes equality between women and men".

Link to Upper Austria