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QueerFeminist Spring Festival Athens

from 27th – 30th April 2017 in Athens / Exarchia by Cyklopi Squat Athens

Over the last years there has been a revival of the queer feminist movement in Greece. In the last years/months several queer (and) feminist groups and spaces have emerged, joining forces with those few already existing in the difficult circumstances of a sexist/patriarchal society. Queer feminists fight not only within the “mainstream” society but also inside the local political movements. These collectives have been using diverse strategies, from practising self-awareness and sharing experiences to self-education on queer/feminist politics and history, to opening spaces, organising demos against rape culture and actions in solidarity with migrant women*. The aim of this festival is to bring those struggles together, to create a space where these experiences are shared but also provide the chance to learn from others who fight the same struggles in different contexts across the world. Of course, we also want to have fun!

Part of the Festival will be open for all, part will be for woman*, inter*, trans*, nonbinary and gender queer people. Besides this, we want the festival to be a space where all who participate feel welcomed and accepted. This means to challenge norms and patterns of socialisation of the society(s) we live and grow up in. We want to challenge male privilege, normative relationship patterns, and other internalised behavoirs in order to create a space where we can try out, exchange, experience and learn other ways of togetherness.

Contribute to the Program, Participate in the Festival!

Who we are:

Since February 2016 we are creating a space in Athens that allows us to self organize (as woman*, trans*, inter*, gender queer and non-binary people) , to meet and exchange. We organise screenings, events, workshops, parties, we have set up a zine library and we have more coming up (such as arabic classes, yoga or self-defence classes) We are part of the queer feminist community of Athens – our aim is to participate in and foster local struggles and collaborate with groups and individuals from Athens, but also queer feminists across Greece, as well as with transnational groups.

As a collective we are against sexism, homophobia, inter- and trans-phobia, racism, ableism, capitalism, patriarchy, borders and exclusion based on social status or nationality. We are aware that it’s not possible to just drop these concepts, patterns of acting and socialized manners at the entrance. We are also aware of the fact that we ourselves as well are not free from such mechanisms, and that makes it even more important for us to create a setting where all of us can learn to behave differently now and here, instead of just waiting for a different ?better? society. We are for emancipated feminist spaces, the idea that another society is not just needed but also possible, for feminism, self-organization and a good life for all.

What we need:

• Send us your proposals for the program
• Support from groups that have the capacity to finance the festival. We will have expences of around 2500 euros that we cannot cover ourselves (eg. support for traveling costs). We are looking forward for support from groups in cities/places where it’s easier to gather money/fundings.
• Support during (and in before) the festival with: cooking, translation, organizing, awareness group, infrastructure and everything else there is to do. Write us with what you can support us.
• Zines, brochures, posters or other material that will enrich our library.

Topics of the Festival

In an attempt to organize a festival that speaks to current local struggles and debates, we suggest several axes for contributions. Other proposals that do not fall under these topics are also welcome. After we have gone through the proposals, we will discuss to see how and if proposals fit together and write you back.

• Struggles and self-organisation of migrant women* Solidarity with migrant women*. Holidarity. Difficulties of participation in relevant political struggles and movements (like the anarchist movement, refugee solidarity work, …) as women*/queers/feminists.
• DIY, practical, or activity oriented workshops such as printmaking, street art, zinemaking, how to electricity plumbing and gardening, body orentieted things like self defense and yoga.
• Exchange about experiences of community accountabilty, how we can act against rape culture and everything associated with it. Connected with this we also want to address gendered violence within radical communities, problems of intersection of identities, accountability processes, transformative justice and other topics that are related with that.
• Questions of queer/feminist perspectives and strategies or “where do we go from here”. What is the Queer/Feminist history (of Greece and other localities) and what can we learn from this. What are collective perspectives of queer/feminism – how to act in everyday life – what are the needs of “the movement” regarding internal processes, external articulation and actions, spaces, organization and collaborations. What are “urgent” discussions and what are practical outcomes when we talk about identity politics, “safe(r)” spaces and similar topics. How can a queer feminist city/village/area/community with intersectional approach look like? what are perspectives in the next years? what is the utopia?

Info about the Program:

We don’t have a fixed program at the moment, but we will send out info with a more detailed program 3 weeks before the festival. Until then you can send proposals and ideas of what should happen during the festival and what you and/or your group want to contribute/plan/show. This includes screenings, workshops,music, performances, lectures, readings and installations.

Thursday:

Library opening (from 17h), screening (20h) and bar in the evening.

Friday / Saturday / Sunday:

The space will be open from 12h until night. There will be food around 2pm and 8:30pm. The time in between will be structured in time-slots.

1st session (2h) 12-14h

2nd session (3h) 15-18h

3rd session (2,5h) 18h30-21h then Evening Program.

Friday and Saturday (or Sunday):

the program will be open for w*,i*,t*,q – program will take place in the squat.

Sunday (or Saturday):

the program will take place in one or two other spaces (not clear yet where – we will send out with the detailed program) and will be open for all genders. On the evening of this day there will be also a party open for all genders.

Additional Info

What does this mean?

* = representing that there is more then sex

w = woman

i = intersex

t = transgender

q = gender queer, non binary

Sleeping places

There will be some sleeping places avaliable for:

w*, i*, t*, q – at the squat

all – outside of the squat

Write us a mail as soon as possible if you need a sleeping place. We have limited sleeping places.

Food

Vegan food will be available during the festival by free donation.

Child Care

We haven’t planned a children program yet, but send us an info if you need child-care support and we will see what we can organize.

Barrieres

There are four steps to the ground floor. The upper areas of the house are only accessible via stairs.

Translation

We will try to organize spiders (technical tool that make in ear translation with improvised simultaneous translation possible) beside this we will help to organize whisper translation If you or your group are able to support also temporally the structure (for ex. to translate certain sessions or your own organized one) let us know.

Animals

Please leave your pets at home (or at friends). The house is already totally occupied by Cyclopi and friends.

Traveling costs

We would like to support all people who don’t have much or no money with their traveling costs. Its not clear yet how much people we will be able to support but write us how much money you need as soon as possible.

Awarness Group

There will be a group to support in case of conflicts. Part of the group will be people from the core- team of the squat – part will be other people we ask to support this work. There will be two additional preperation meetings for this, and also we will share infomation before and during the festival about the politics of the space when it comes to cases that need intervention/support.

Visa

We don´t know yet if and how much we can support with Visa-issues, but write us as soon as possible so we can see how & if we can support.

How to get there:

The Address is Zoodochou Pigis 119b Neapoli 114 72 Its the house that looks like a squat.

By Metro

If you arrive from the Athens International Aiport at you can get the Metro to Ambelokipi, the house is a 15 minute walk from here. If you arrive at Larissa International Railway Station you can get the Red Line on the Metro to Panepistimio, the house is around a 20 minute walk from here. Or its a 30 minute walk directly from the station. If you arrive from the Port you can get the Metro to Victoria, the house is around a 20 minute from here. Metro tickets are 1.60 Euro, or 10 Euros from the Airport. Currently it is very easy not to pay on the Metro, but now a state operation is ongoing to install barriers and eventually privitaise the network. If not stopped by popular resistance this will be implemented by April. The Metro operates until around midnight Sunday to Thrusday and until 2am Friday and Saturday.

By Bus

If you arrive from the Port you can get the 849 to the stop ΓΥΜΝΑΣΙΟ and then the 813 to the stop ΤΣΙΜΙΣΚΗ, which is basically right outside the house. If you arrive at Larissa International Railway Station you can get the B5 to the stop ΠΑΝΑΘΗΝΑΙΑ, which is a 5 minute walk to the house. If you arrive from the Athens International Aiport you can get the X95 until it terminates and then take the 230 to the stop ΤΣΙΜΙΣΚΗ, which is basically right outside the house. Bus tickets are also 1.60 Euro apart from the Airport ticket, which is 6 euros.It is also currently very easy to not pay on the bus, but this again is changing.

Hitchhiking

http://hitchwiki.org/en/Athens