WOMEN AND CHILDREN FIRST:
magie, rituelen & hedendaagse hekserij
The festival ‘WOMEN AND CHILDREN FIRST’* explores different societal themes with each new edition. Having previously looked at the topics of privilege, acquired rights and (fair) care (2019), and inclusion and accessibility (2020), for this third edition we’re focusing on re-enchantment. Think magic, mythology, rituals, and contemporary witchcraft.
The myth of capitalist modernity is showing cracks on all sides: the current system is making people ill. We should slow down and collectively reflect on what connects us: our bodies, our histories, our ancestors, our planet and the more-than-human.
‘WOMEN AND CHILDREN FIRST’ invites us to look past our differences and start thinking as a collective again, to find new forms of relating to and interacting with each other. Through the festival programme, we’ll explore what magic, myths, rituals and enchantment can contribute to this goal.
We’re inviting artists to create and share new narratives for a more just and magical future, each in their own way. From a collective ‘Wild Carnaval Sauvage’ to a ‘beauty kit farm’, from a magickal animist direct action workshop to a performance exploring the contemporary witch figure – we’ve got a magic programme for you. Come and think, discuss, learn, and dance with us!
PROGRAMME
* Women and children first. A verbal code invoked in emergencies that prioritises the rescue of those deemed ‘the most vulnerable’. A notion based in patriarchal thinking. What if, in defining our worldview, we took the so-called ‘vulnerable’ and under-represented voices in society as our point of departure? What if we saw vulnerability and sensitivity as strengths? What if we challenged norms such as this?
'BREAKING THE SPELL'
'Breaking the Spell' - an artistic research project that reflects practices of thinking- and being-with in performing arts - is part of WOMEN AND CHILDREN FIRST. Read more about the project.