WCA PAST CONFERENCES

A day of exciting short discussion panels, organized by the late Arlene Raven and Anne Swartz in association with The FeministArtProject

Are We There Yet? The Status and Impact of Second- and Third-Wave Feminism, Women's Art, the Women's Art Movement, and ‘Feminist Art’
Chair: Anne Swartz-Savannah, College of Art and Design.
Feminism, Women, and Museum
Chair: Elizabeth Mansfield, University of the South.
As the Feminine Became Public (or) Regendering Public Art
Chair: Suzanne Lacy, Otis College of Art and Design.
Back to the Front
Chair: Helena Reckitt, independent critic and curator.
Occupying Our Hearts: Performing Self-Transformation through Feminist Art
Chair: Joanna Frueh, University of Nevada.
Life of the Mind, Life of the Market: A Reevaluation of the Contribution of Theory to Feminist Art from 1980 to 2006
Chair: Mira Schor, painter and writer.
American Art and Sexual Trauma
Chair: Vivian Fryd, Vanderbilt University.

WCA 35th Anniversary Celebration with several workshops and a small work exchange.

Preparing an Artist’s Statement - Ruth Waters
The ABC’s and 123’s of being Not-for Profit - Margaret Lutze
Building Momentum with WACK! and the SCWCA - Sandra Mueller
Exhibiting Internationally and Regionally - Tricia Grame and Patricia Rodriguez
Blaze: Publishing Women’s Writing on Art - Karen Frostig and Kathy Halamka
Collaborating with the Community - Regional Exchanges

Exhibitions and a International Video Shorts Film Festival

"words within" Jewish Women Artists’ Network (JWAN) at the Kraft Center for Jewish Life Columbia/Barnard University, juried by Laura Kruger, Curator of the Hebrew Union College -Jewish Institute of Religion Museum
Her-Humanity at Casa Freia Gallery, 47 West 119th, co-curated by Lawrence Rodriguez, Director, Casa Freia Gallery; and Noreen Dean Dresser, Director, Parlour 153
New Media Caucus International Video Shorts Film Festival at Barnard, juried by Sheryl Mousley, Curator of Film/Video at the Walker Center in Minneapolis

The Art of Being Global: International Art of International Artists Chair: Laurie E. T. Hall, Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Dizz/placement: Half Moon Eyes Mina Cheon, Maryland Inst.Col. of Art
The New Great Game: The New Colonization in Globalization
Sarina Khan Reddy, Eastman Kodak Company Research Laboratories
Plays Well with Others: Opportunity for Artists in the Global Village Daria Dorosh, University of East London
Compassionate Actions: Art Envisions a World without Borders
Lisa Marie Kaftori, artist, Israel; Joan Giroux, Columbia College, Chicago
Speaking into the Silence Karen Frostig, Lesley University
Future Minded: On the Resiliency of Feminism in the Arts
Chair Dena Muller

2006 Boston, MA
"Digging Deeper To Build New Paradigms"- 34th Annual Conference
Conference co-chairs: Kathy Halamka, Karen Frostig and Cynthia Runge
Exhibitions Chair: Kathy Halamka
Panel Program Chair: Karen Frostig

The Boston Conference, tallying 180 attendees, included the following highlights:

• Board meeting and chapters’ council meetings
• Two days of panel programming
• An international festival of video shorts
• Two  national and one regional exhibitions: The Kniznick Gallery at the Brandeis University Women Studies Research Center, juried by Raphaela Platow, curator of the Rose Museum at Brandeis University and by Wendy Tarlow Kaplan; Hebrew College, juried by Deborah Davidson; and Mayyim Hayyim, juried by Judi Rotenburg Ross and Abigail Ross Goodman
• An elegant Honoree Banquet and Honoree Award Ceremony at the Sheraton Hotel
• A key-note address by Coco Fusco from Columbia University, who discussed her latest project regarding the use of women in the military. 

In addition to these events, conference co-chairs introduced new elements: pre-conference, off-site panels, a formal convocation ceremony; a book table featuring assorted titles by and about panelists and honorees; a 25-hour audio-visual tape documenting the entire conference (a two-hour disk is now on sale on the National and Boston chapter web sites); an open-mic/annual meeting session, soliciting input from WCA members.  The conference also produced five additional exhibitions at various local venues that ran concurrently with the conference, and represented the coordinated efforts of three chapters--Boston, New Hampshire and Central Mass.

The conference coincided with a fortuitous invitation from Cambridge Scholars Press (UK), to publish the conference proceedings.  One year later, we are in the later stages of publishing a new text, Blaze: Discourse on Art, Women and Feminism, which features 31 essays emanating from the conference panels.

34TH Annual WCA Conference Highlights DVD Now on sale

The WCA Boston Chapter is very pleased to present the 34th Annual WCA National Conference Highlights, which was held at the Boston Sheraton February 19th –21st, 2006. 

Highlights include

• Samples of two full days of excellent panel programming
• An elegant Honoree Banquet at the Sheraton Hotel, replete with an entertaining and poignant Honoree Award Ceremony
• An electric key-note address by Coco Fusco (Columbia University), discussing her latest project regarding the use of women in the military. 

Conference co-chairs Dr. Karen Frostig, Kathy A. Halamka, and Cynthia Runge, countless volunteers from the Boston, New Hampshire and Central Massachusetts chapters and more, along with Karin Luner and members of the National Board were all highly integral to the success of the conference.  The conference represents woman power at its very finest! Now you can watch highlights from this memorable event!

 One copy just $12 plus shipping! Click this link to access the order form now!

Watch the YOU TUBE Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LF8MKw1yvTI

2005 Atlanta, GA  "Gender in Motion"
Chaired by Ann Rowles and hosted by the Atlanta Chapter

2004 Seattle, WA
Chaired by Jennifer Colby and co-sponsored by the Pacific Region to discuss women exploring "our place" in the art world and art history as well as in connection to land, home, and community.

2003 New York, NY
Chaired by Dena Muller and Melissa Wolf

This conference offered a forum to investigate the current state of the arts, build networks of women in the arts professions, and explore how our history can guide us into the future.

2002 Philadelphia, PA, "Bridging Generations: Painting the Picture"

The thriving WCA Philadelphia Chapter launched a new format conference aimed at attracting a generation of young women actively engaged in the visual arts professions.
The 30th Annual Women's Caucus for Art Conference included two days of panel discussions, a slide share, the Lifetime Achievement Awards and visiting museums and galleries, the conference also featured the unveiling of a mural project designed and painted by Michelle Ortiz, Philadelphia muralist, and organized by members of the Young Women's Caucus for Art of the Philadelphia Chapter, in conjunction with the Mural Arts Program.

2001 Chicago, IL

The Chicago Chapter of WCA honored five local women who have contributed to the women's art movement. Hollis Sigler, Francis Callaway Parks, Arlene Rakonkay, Joyce Neimanas, and Mary Dougherty. Keynote Speaker Karen Finley presented part of her new piece on women mentoring women written in collaboration with Miriam Shapiro and Gloria Steinem. Karen Finley was born in Chicago where she attended the Art Institute of Chicago and received her Masters in Fine Arts. Her work has been shown in the U.S. Europe South America, Asia, and Australia.
The Chicago Chapter sponsored a National exhibition held in conjunction with the WCA National Conference. The exhibition was held at Artemisia Gallery. An exhibition at Beacon Street Gallery was also featured during the conference.

2000 New York, NY, "INITIATIVES 2000"
Chaired by Janet Luongo

The keynote speech was given by Howardena Pindell. The conference included a mix of marketing workshops organized by Sharon Vatsky, and one WCA/CAA joint panel (to rewrite 20th century American art history to include women) with Betsy Damon. The conference provided an opportunity for attendees to meet, network, and share their slides with each other.
There were wonderful WCA exhibitions. The Phoenix exhibits were curated by Winn Rae and Naomi Grossman. Devorah Sperber did extraordinary work organizing ELEMENTS 2000 at seven sites in three boroughs.
The conference provided a venue to continue one of the most important traditions of the WCA - the recognition of women of commitment and achievement through the Annual Lifetime Achievement Awards. Lowery Sims presented the President's Award to Gallery Director Bernice Steinbaum. Imna Arroyo presented the Northeast Regional Recognition Award to Susana Torruella Leval, Director of El Museo del Barrio.
The few hundred dollars earned through a letter of appeal will be used to seed the "initiatives" Scholarships to the conference were provided by the National WCA.
A great success of the conference: women in NYC are meeting to restart the chapter; and we have over thirty new members!
Conference chair Janet Luongo gives special thanks to C.M. Judge, whose personal care of each individual registrant made their stay in New York a warm one. The hard work of many went into this event including: E. Margaret Curley Clay, Betsy Damon, Cynthia Millis, Sharon Vatsky, Beatrice Schall, Jiayi Ling, Winn Rae, Devorah Sperber, Naomi Grossman, Imna Arroyo, Mary Bucci McCoy, Jean Towgood, Francia, Virginia Zic, Heidi Bollock, Denise Mumm, Gail Tremblay, Sheila Benedis, Alison Berman, Diana Boehnert, Hilda Demsky, Susan Knight, Linda Gilbert Sneider, Ellen Smith.

1999 Los Angeles, CA
Hosted by the WCA Southern California Chapter

June Wayne gave the opening address, and Coco Fusco was Keynote Speaker. The conference began with a day of tours and a day of workshops then was followed with two days of panel discussions. Jean Towgood, a seasoned conference organizer and former national WCA President, and Ada Pullini Brown, then SCWCA President were the Conference Co-chairs. The hard work of many went into this event including: Betty Brown, Sandra Rowe, Lucy-Blake Elahi, Margaret Lazzari, Janice Deloof, Patricia Lazalde, Anita Miranda, Debra Krall, Diana Hobstetter, Scarlet Chang and Rosalie Friis-Ross.
Scholarships were given to sixteen women for free conference registration, money for airfare, and/or free hotel rooms. The SCWCA Board created a small endowment fund for the chapter and gave donations to the National WCA and two not-for-profit arts organizations in LA which support women in the arts.

1998 Toronto, Canada
"Crossing Borders: Mapping Boundaries"

The Women's Art Resource Center (WARC) in Toronto, Canada sponsored an international conference in Toronto. This collaborative event was co-sponsored by The Women's Caucus for Art, (WCA), The Ontario College of Art and Design (OCAD), the (CAA) Committee on Women in the Arts, Creative Spirit Center, and the Native Women in the Arts. 1997 Conference ExhibitionChicago hosted "Carving the Forces of Change: Celebrating Women in the Arts," the outstanding 25th Anniversary National Exhibition at Artemesia Gallery, juried by artist Faith Ringgold and organized by the Chicago WCA Chapter. An array of extraordinary exhibitions hosted by Philadelphia galleries in support of the conference included works by well known artists such as Miriam Schapiro, Winnefred Lutz and Jaune Quick-To-See Smith. Exhibitions ranged from digital art to the mystical and the conceptual.

1997 Philadelphia, PA
"Carving the Forces of Change: Celebrating Women in the Arts"

Held at the Doubletree Hotel, in Philadelphia, marked the WCA's 25th Anniversary. A commemorative poster was produced, featuring the image "Sonia Delaunay and Me" by artist Miriam Schapiro. A round table discussion, "Recalling Our History: Envisioning the Future," was led by visionary pioneers in the WCA. They highlighted the achievement of many of our early goals, the vitality of our organization, and the enduring capacity of our Statement of Purpose as a guide in forging new roads ahead. The 1997 National Conference provided an enthusiastic audience and the collaboration of committed art professionals who embraced our mission, highlighting womens' contributions to the arts.

1996 National & Regional Exhibitions, NYC
"Beijing and Beyond"
International Traveling Exhibition organized by Carole Kauffman and Beth Racette and supported by WCA members throughout the nation. Multiplism as a Feminist Strategy Eastern Regional Exhibition, curated by Devorah Sperber, Robin Hill and Jane Engram Allen at the Phoenix Gallery in New York City, and organized by the New York Chapter "Celebrating Women in the Arts" National Office Inaugural Exhibition organized by Carole Kauffman and Cornilia Muñoz

1994 New York, NY
"Collective Diversities/New Directions"

The 22nd Annual WCA National Conference, Collective Diversities/New Directions , chaired by Clarissa Sligh, Linda Cunningham and Susan Grabel was held in NYC, February 14-17, 1994, at the St. Moritz Hotel with evening panels at downtown spaces to reach a broader audience. The conference was organized around the participation of many different groups and women of many identities working on issues of empowerment, education, communication and healing. Feminist scholar, bell hooks, led the way with her keynote address. Local chapter members gave insider tours of restaurants and galleries, culminating in the opening reception of the national juried exhibition, The Women’s Health Show. The show was chaired by Beth Racette and Carol Goebel and was a mini-conference in itself with video screenings, performances and panels. The Honor Awards Ceremony and exhibition was held at the Queens Museum of Art for Mary Adams, Maria Enriquez de Allen, Beverly Pepper, Faith Ringgold, Rachel Rosenthal and Charlotte Streifer Rubinstein. Sharon Vatsky and Jane Farver curated the show which was organized by Janet Goldner, Chapter Honors Chair and Charleen Touchette, National Honors Chair. With over twenty panels in two days, this whirlwind of a conference was made possible by the hard work of the NYC Chapter members and board committed to and working towards a women's movement connecting all classes, races and generations.