Since 1998, FIFTITU% has continuously campaigned for better conditions for women* in the arts and cultural sector and is the only platform of its kind, not only in Linz and Upper Austria, but nationwide.
In addition to cultural and women's*political work, regional, national and international networking in this field and diverse artistic projects in and on these topics, the activities also include concrete advice and support for the professionalization of women* in art and culture.
FIFTITU% is an initiator, activist, partner and supporter and sees itself as an open and innovative association that bridges the gap between experimental regional culture and contemporary art. In process-oriented cooperations with women's associations from Linz and the Upper Austrian region and with the inclusion of current site-specific cultural work, art and cultural projects are realized that achieve a high level of sustainability.
Many achievements in Upper Austria that are taken for granted today would not have existed without FIFTITU%, for example the inclusion of quota regulations in the promotion of art and culture, the creation of regular women's reports in the cultural sector or the anchoring of women's political demands in the cultural development plans of the state of Upper Austria and the cities of Linz and Steyr.
Regular awareness-raising work is also part of FIFTITU%'s day-to-day business, because as we all know, we are still a long way from an equal society.
The arts and culture sector is already characterized by precarious structures and poor working conditions, and this affects women* even more. This is precisely why FIFTITU% fulfills extremely important functions here, on the one hand in the implementation of women*-specific art and cultural work and on the other hand in advising working artists, cultural managers and workers. This requires a high level of expertise and good networking skills - both qualities that have characterized FIFTITU% for two decades.
In 2002, FIFTITU% was awarded the Grand Culture Prize of the Province of Upper Austria for initiative cultural work,
2018 with the state prize outstanding artist award for cultural initiatives,
Reasons for the jury's decision in favor of the association "FIFTITU% Networking Agency for Women in Art and Culture in Upper Austria"
The "FIFTITU%" association was founded in 1998 and is therefore celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2018. The association is located in the city center of Linz - between Lentos, Kupf, Landesgalerie and Kunstuniversität and has a high impact on the entire province of Upper Austria and beyond.
As the name of the association suggests, the aim is to make a numerical ratio visible. In the year the association was founded, 52% of the world's population was female. In terms of the public presence of power and actual decision-making structures, however, this percentage was a long way off.
For two decades, the association has been campaigning for gender parity in the arts and culture and for agreements on gender equality goals at cultural associations and institutions.
FIFTITU% dares to tackle questions such as "How would culture take place and appear if it were shaped by women?". And as long as gender equality is not also lived practice, this association is indispensable in cultural policy work in Upper Austria and beyond.
The work of FIFTITU% has a broad approach. There are art and cultural projects, events and further education opportunities.
Another important pillar of FIFTITU%'s work is networking, advice and services. This "behind-the-scenes" work is also immensely important, because the great commitment has also resulted in unique expert knowledge, which is to be reflected in an openly accessible expert database.
FIFTITU% also plays a leading role in the area of publications with projects and the provision of knowledge.
The FIFTITU% association is an initiative in the best sense of the word. It takes the initiative against women's political/anti-feminist tendencies, as is currently happening with the #frauenlandretten campaign. As is always the case with FIFTITU% projects, the aim here is to inform and activate people, in this case civil society.
An important component of FIFTITU%'s artistic work is the participatory approach, such as in the planned exhibition project "What does the woman want?". This traveling exhibition is intended to shed light on the local debate on the fundamental topic of "100 years of women's suffrage - and what's next?" with the involvement of women in the region.
Through local participation, various artistic projects repeatedly succeed in making people's prejudices on the topics of feminism and gender equality visible and breaking them down.
The discursive project "Traveling Traders" takes a similar approach. Discussions take place in three thematic areas around approaches to feminist art and the role of women in art. A ship on Lake Traunsee will be used to encourage people in the region to have their say.
The Artivism series in particular enables feminist art to be presented in a variety of spaces. It pursues the approach that art does not come ready-made, but is created in these ever-changing spaces. This form is intended to encourage people to engage more spontaneously.
The mixture of art and cultural work and the wide range of networking, advice and services on offer is what makes FIFTITU% so important as an initiative that repeatedly starts and accompanies processes. It is proactive, provocative and fearless in its actions and a successful combination of contemporary art and regional cultural work.
For this exemplary form of cultural work, FIFTITU% deserves the outstanding artist award 2018.
July 10, 2018
Daniela Gmachl and Suzie Heger for the Cultural Initiatives Advisory Board
