Manchester Psych Fest has received Arts Council England funding to commission two local female artists to create a unique visual experience at the heart of the event.
Manchester-based designers and illustrators Louise Rivett and Jane Bowyer will collaborate and create digital and physical artworks across Psych Fest, including animation pieces, exhibitions and installations.
The funding has been granted to assist the festival in welcoming and engaging more female participants to a predominantly male-dominated genre. In addition to Rivett and Bowyer’s visual experience at Manchester Psych Fest, 44% of the acts performing at the festival feature women – something the festival organisers have actively worked on improving.
“The psychedelic scene has become a cult in the past decade, however it has always been male dominated. I made it an imperative to make the festival more open to women as part of a wider plan to bring positivity and togetherness to the event. Showcasing more female artists is definitely a step forward and the ACE funding greatly assists in making this step. Hopefully a female artist will headline the festival in the very near future.” – Festival Creator, Gareth Butterworth
Louise Rivett worked on both Cosmosis Festival and Manchester Psych Fest in 2016 and her collages, which will be exhibited at the festival, have previously been commissioned by Night & Day Café. Jane Bowyer’s practice balances playfulness with purpose to deliver work that is both beautifully crafted and leaves a lasting impression. She is renowned for her work on the ‘Women In Print’ project, a current exhibition that celebrates the life and achievements of 22 iconic female figures who have made a significant contribution to the city of Manchester, such as Emmeline Pankhurst and Ethel ‘Sunny’ Lowry. Both artists are active in creating new platforms for female-led art to engage new audiences.
Psych Fest comes to Band on the Wall on Saturday 2nd September and final release tickets are available here.
