Billboard Hoardings

NEoN Digital Arts Festival 10th-13th November 2021 Wired Women*  WARNING: This article contains strong language Under the theme ‘Wired Women*’, NEoNs annual festival will look to address the digital gender divide and highlight the contribution of female and nonbinary artists in shaping the digital and technology-driven arts sector. Its 4-day festival will be a hybrid mix of online and physical exhibitions, interventions, performances and talks celebrating new and past works by women and nonbinary artists.  NEoN has invited female and nonbinary artists from across the world to investigate how we can bridge the digital gender divide in today’s world, how to connect our communities better and highlight the contribution of female, non-binary artists and technologists in shaping our digital and technology-driven lives.  ‘Wired Women*’ is inspired by the book of the same name by Lynn Cherny. Written in 1996, it is a collection of essays written by women looking at what women were doing on the internet. As today it reflected the complexities of our society, with just about every topic talked about; love, relationships, censorship, gender, including its hostilities. Sadly 24 years on, the anonymous online hostility still exists and is mostly directed at women. As digital transformations continue, they will provide new avenues for empowerment, contributing to greater gender equality, giving all complete access to opportunities, greater access to knowledge and platforms for creativity.  This years programme has been curated and co-porduced with Artist/curator Ailie Rutherford. Ailie is well known for her work in exploring potential applications of new and emerging technologies within feminist and community currency. We are very pleased to announce the artists for 2021:

Beth Stephens & Annie Sprinkle Padmini Ray Murray Fannie Sosa Rosana Cade Holly White Rifke Sadleir Camille Baker Helen Pritchard Femke Snelting  Shannon McRae Camara Taylor Lee Weinberg hidden route & Hayley Blakeman Semiconductor

* Inclusive of Trans and Intersex women, as well as non-binary and gender fluid people who are comfortable in a space that centres the experience of women.