Festival and concert line-ups have long exhibited a lack of gender diversity, and despite the fact that there is a general awareness of diversity, this issue is often neglected. KARIN TONSERN, founder of the FLINTA* network Sisters of Music, countered this with the first edition of the SISTERS FESTIVAL this year. Itta Francesca Ivellio-Vellin has dealt with the arguments for and against.
The argument most often used against more diverse line-ups is that there are too few (good) FLINTA* musicians who are known enough to fill festivals and concert halls. However, this is only true to a certain extent. The fact is: there are enough excellent FLINTA* musicians to fill festivals of all genres like this Sisters–Festivalhosted by Sisters of Music, shows. The one-day festival at the Open Air Arena Vienna takes place on July 7th, 2023 and only includes FLINTA*- or at least FLINTA*-fronted bands.
COCOROSIEtwo US sisters, bring feminist and sometimes seemingly naïve music to the stage, while Irish musician AMY MONTGOMERY delivers grunge rock and the local artists from DIVES will play their surf garage pop. The exceptional talent also appears before the after-show party with MASHA DABELKA Aygyul who originally comes from Russia but has found her home in Vienna.
Sisters of Music is a network primarily made up of FLINTA*s working backstage: Technicians: inside, Promoters: inside, Stage Managers: inside and many more. That is why there is Sisters–Festival not only the line-up of FLINTA* musicians: inside, but the entire crew around the event gets along completely without cis men. This is a rare opportunity to show that any arguments regarding an alleged lack of FLINTA*s in the music scene have no substance.
The well-known problem of financing
Karin Tonsern, founder of Sisters of Music and organizer for the first time, was involved in the organization of the Sisters-Festival faced with some challenges: “It was my first booking experience, and therefore a completely new learning process. The biggest problem, however, was the financing: funding requests were mostly rejected, and ticket sales for a new festival is always more difficult than for an already established one.”. There are also many people who are not yet familiar with the network, so it needs more explanation and promotion – which again is not easy to manage financially. In addition, visitors buy concert tickets much more quickly than before. Finally, Covid still plays a role: Many concerts that had to be postponed due to the pandemic are currently being made up for, which means that the market is a little oversaturated.
However, there was positive feedback from all sides and a lot of support for the SISTERS–Festival. Very few (cis) men felt threatened or even discriminated against by the festival. This is exactly the key point: nobody should be discriminated against or disadvantaged here. “FLINTA* rights are human rights”says Karin Tonsern, “And they concern us all.” That is also the slogan of Sisters of Music: “By women* with women* for EVERYONE”.
It’s important for everyone in the music industry to stand up for more equity and diversity, especially cis men who often hold positions of power. The goal should be to create an inclusive and diverse music scene where no one is discriminated against or disadvantaged.
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When asked if she was expecting many cis men as visitors, Karin Tonsern explained soberly: “Of course we expect a very high proportion of FLINTA* visitors. But at the end of the day it’s a music festival with a great line-up that appeals to all kinds of people, although a few men have actually approached me to express their support and at the same time to express their regret that they can’t go to the festival – which is clearly bullshit. All are welcome!”
So it’s interesting that once there’s a dedicated focus on gender diversity, some cis men not only feel unaddressed, they feel unwelcomed. The question that arises here and is so difficult to answer is: How is it possible to get real support from cis men?
Change is a process
FLINTA* festivals are certainly not the solution here, but they have this claim Sisters of Music not at all with your project. It is important to set an example, to create more awareness and to deny the alleged lack of FLINTA*s in the event scene and on the stage as a lie. Events like this also offer Sisters–Festival also has the bonus of being a safer space for FLINTA*s – because while there are countless events that focus on cis men, there are hardly any that showcase the creativity and diversity of FLINTA*s.
The festival also offers an opportunity to learn more about feminist issues such as labor law. There is also a photo exhibition about Austrian pioneers and cooperation with other feminist organizations. Because cooperation and networking are essential to bring about change.
There is also a solidarity ticket that Sisters-Ticket, which is available in the ticket shop. Buying a solidary Sisters-Ticket enables low-income FLINTA*s to visit the festival and supports the clients of the Viennese advice center “WOMEN advise WOMEN”. This is an important step to promote equality and to support FLINTA*s in difficult life situations.
FLINTA* events like this Sisters-Festival are an important contribution to the visibility and strengthening of FLINTA*s in the music industry. However, it is also a reflection of the difficulties FLINTA* networks face, especially when trying to organize a new festival. Promoting equality is an ongoing process that requires a lot of commitment and support.
Itta Francesca Ivellio-Vellin
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Links:
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