Web women

>>

"Our mission is twofold," says Studio XX director Lise Gagnon. "We provide training for women in Web-based technology and art; we also function as a centre for dissemination of information by, for and about women." The Studio, now celebrating its fifth anniversary, is considered the den-mother of Web activity for women in Montreal: as well as their monthly lectures, they hold a dizzying list of Web-related workshops and festivals.

But while the Studio has seen relative success over the past half-decade, this is surely their most auspicious birthday yet: they've recently been awarded a $65,000 grant from the Quebec government. The Studio used to operate on small grants from arts councils which funded their annual arts fest, Maid in Cyberspace. But this grant will help them pay for bigger digs, daily workshops and free training for low-income women.

"It's important that women learn how to access the information available to them on the Net," says Gagnon. "But it's equally important that women are putting out info themselves. That is something we plan to work on more and more."

--Siobhan O'Connor

more news...