Since 1998, FIFTITU% has been continuously campaigning for better conditions for women* in the arts and culture sector and is the only platform of its kind, not only in Linz and Upper Austria, but nationwide.
In 2018, FIFTITU% was awarded the State Prize ‘Outstanding Artist Award’ for cultural initiatives.
In 2017, FIFTITU% had its funding from the Women’s Department / Province of Upper Austria cut by 100%.
Reasoning behind the jury’s decision for the State Prize Outstanding Artist Award for Cultural Initiatives for FIFTITU%
The association “FIFTITU%” was founded in 1998 and is therefore celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2018. The association is based in the city centre of Linz – between Lentos, Kupf, the Landesgalerie and the University of Art – and has a significant influence throughout the province of Upper Austria and beyond.
As the association’s name suggests, the aim is to highlight a numerical ratio. In the year the association was founded, 52% of the world’s population was female. However, this percentage was far from being reflected in the public face of power or in actual decision-making structures.
For two decades, the association has been campaigning for gender parity in art and culture and for the adoption of equality targets by cultural associations and institutions.
FIFTITU% tackles questions such as “How would culture function and appear if it were shaped by women?” And as long as gender equality is not also a lived reality, this association is indispensable in cultural policy work in Upper Austria and beyond.
FIFTITU%’s work takes a broad approach. It includes art and cultural projects, events and training programmes.
Another key pillar of FIFTITU%’s work is networking, advisory services and support. This ‘behind-the-scenes’ work is particularly important, as the organisation’s strong commitment has generated unique expert knowledge, which is to be reflected in an openly accessible database of experts.
FIFTITU% also plays a leading role in the field of publications, through its projects and the sharing of knowledge.
The FIFTITU% association is an initiative in the best sense of the word. It takes a proactive stand against anti-feminist tendencies in women’s politics, as is currently the case with the #frauenlandretten campaign. Here – as is always the case with FIFTITU%’s projects – the focus is on informing and mobilising people, in this instance civil society.
An important component of FIFTITU%’s artistic work is the participatory approach, as seen, for example, in the planned exhibition project “Was will das Weib?” This travelling exhibition aims to shed light on the local debate surrounding the central theme “100 years of women’s suffrage – what next?!” by involving women in the region.
Through on-the-ground participation, various artistic projects consistently succeed in highlighting and dismantling people’s prejudices regarding feminism and gender equality.
The discursive project “Travelling Traders” also takes a similar approach. Discussions will take place across three thematic areas centred on approaches to feminist art and the role of women in art. The project will be staged on a ship on Lake Traunsee, with the aim of encouraging people in the region to have their say.
In particular, the Artivism series enables feminist art to be displayed in a variety of spaces. It takes the approach that art is not finished, but is created in these ever-changing locations. This format is intended to encourage people to engage more spontaneously with the subject matter.
The blend of art and cultural work, combined with the wide range of networking, advisory and support services, makes FIFTITU% such an important initiative, one that continually initiates and supports processes. It is proactive, provocative and fearless in its actions, and a successful fusion of contemporary art and regional cultural work.
For this exemplary form of cultural work, FIFTITU% deserves to be honoured with the Outstanding Artist Award 2018.
Daniela Gmachl and Suzie Heger on behalf of the Cultural Initiatives Advisory Board, 10 July 2018
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