The Feminist Works Program (FWP), a student-designed program launched in response to conversations about sexual respect, student safety and accountability that are taking place at CalArts, has awarded four fellowships to students engaging feminism in their work and lives.
The inaugural fellows are Gail M. Gutierrez (Film/Video MFA 16), Elizabeth Aubert (Music MFA 16), Allison Conner (Critical Studies MFA 15) and Pilar Gallego (Art MFA 15). They each receive a $500 stipend.
“As feminists, we take a holistic perspective, considering family, community, poverty, and other needs as equally important to the costs of traditional art making,” writes FWP co-director Anna Knecht (Art MFA 15) in an email.
The FWP was established in recognition of the need for an increased feminist presence at CalArts and aims to implement a structural commitment to feminism for current students, as well as the larger CalArts community. In addition to the fellowship, which will be offered every semester, FWP invites leading feminist thinkers and artists to visit CalArts and engage the community through presentations, lectures, workshops or conversations.
The first of these presentations featured celebrated visual artist Lynda Benglis, who gave a lecture in collaboration with the Paul Brach Visiting Artist Lecture series in April.