This November, we will bring together a group of renegade performers, artists, and activists from Berlin and beyond in order to share transformational ideas, experiences, and motivation for future projects and collaborations. For our inaugural year, we are proud to present live performances by NYC’s underground rap diva Dai Burger, Oakland’s trans poptronic princess Ah Mer Ah Su, Zimbabwean emcee A.W.A. (African Women Arise), and feminist punk icon Meredith Graves(Perfect Pussy) + more to be announced. An evening programme with DJs and live electronic performances will lead us into the night.
Conference content: Feminist perspectives on music criticism // Gendered Music Spaces: strategies for changing realities and representation // Women in Journalism Panel // Women in Music in Tech: Launch panel + Usability Workshop // Mental health and music // Parenthood and Music // Women, Music, Activism + Conflict // Public Speaking // Negotiation skills: transferable skills and common mistakes // Theramin workshop // Sonic Pi workshop // Ableton Live workshop // In Place of War/GRRRL: Creativity for change // Financing creativity: key funders in conversation // Room4Resistance: Safer spaces // Migration matters (WMW x Give Something Back To Berlin) // The Economy Of Praise: Language + Invisibility // Accessibility through Tech// Music Therapy: alternative self-care practices // Modular Synth workshop // Beatmaking workshop // DJing Workshop // and more…
Community & visibility: With a delegate programme comprised of experienced professionals from around the world, We Make Waves encourages the development of cross-cultural and cross-genre partnerships. Through workshops, talks, panel discussions and an ongoing mentoring programme, we endeavor to build new infrastructure and support systems for participants and their communities. A sign-up programme will be available for those want to share their expertise on certain industry subjects and to workshop ideas. Socially focused events will provide a space for attendees to make connections, plan future projects, and reflect on the festival content.
Cross-genre programme: We Make Waves will be partnering with established local and international groups whose work we admire including Room4Resistance, New World Dysorder, Siren Collective, female:pressure, Meetup Berlin, No Shade and more. There will be a film programme showcasing a variety of female-focused and female-produced music-related shorts and features. In coordination with the conference, We Make Waves will be hosting a youth empowerment camp for girls and gender-nonconforming kids from the ages of 9 to 16. Inspired by the “If you can see it, you can be it” philosophy of representation, the camp will offer music production and songwriting workshops, as well as instruction on DIY event planning, self promotion, public speaking, and home studio creation. In order to continue the conversation, We Make Waves encourages year-long research via an online portal and network available to participants and other interested parties. Additionally, there will be showcase performancesfrom a wide variety of genre-spanning artists at the regal St. Elisabeth Kirche and the historic art collective and club space ACUD.