The Greens State Conference for this year chose to celebrate the Centenary of Women’s Suffrage in Victoria by creating an authentic atmosphere for the opening day. Fern and I were invited to attend with a small installation of our work. We gave a short introduction to the suffrage movement in Victoria and The Art of Suff-Rage traveling art installation. Conference participants were invited to sign a banner which represented the Monster Petition, a massive document of over thirty thousand signatures which was presented to parliament in 1891. Speakers stood against a back drop of one of Ferns commemorative centenary banners “Our Bodies, Free Safe Abortion” which she pointed out was being debated in the State Parliament at present and a current issue yet again. The Conference acknowledged the importance of women taking part in the political process, echoing the sentiment of the first wave of suffragists and noted women have not yet achieved full equality. The situation for women in Victoria includes -"Domestic Violence is the biggest cause of death and disability for women between 15 and 44 years old. Women earn 80-85% of what men earn for comparable jobs. Only 28% of parliamentarians representing Victoria are women".                                  This was a heartening event to be a part of with a emphasis on women's involvement in the  political process.

Fern and I attended the Nillumbik Women’s Network Spring Forum “Nillumbik Women Speak Out". We were dressed as suffragists and set up a small display from The Art of Suff-Rage traveling art installation. This was a great event held in the fantastic Eltham Community and Reception Centre. Young feminist historian, Dr Natasha Campo opened the forum with a presentation on the journey for women gaining the vote in Victoria while exploring what we can learn from their experience. "If women in Nillumbik municipality were to prepare a petition to local, state and federal parliaments today- what would be the demands?" Six local women had been invited to get up on a soap box and respond to this question from their particular standpoint. These included a young woman, an older woman, and a woman at home caring for children, a woman with disabled children, a woman juggling children and career. Federal and State Parliamentarians, Jenny Macklin and Danielle Green responded to the key themes and priorities emerging from the speakers. A particularly moving moment was when Donna Zander spoke of the impact of Domestic Violence on her life and asked her ‘Silent Partners’ to come forward, during the course of her talk fifteen or so women, who had also experienced violence joined her on stage. The outcome of the forum was yes we had come along way since women got the vote but there is much work still to do in the fight for equality. We would like to thank the Nillumbik Women’s Network (especially Mandy Press) for the warm welcome, the hot soup and also the courageous women who spoke out sharing their stories. Photograph curtsey of the Nillumbick Women's Network of Ursula, Jenny Maklin, Danielle Green and Fern. Photographer Tara Frichitthavong.

Over the weekend I was a speaker at a conference for the UNESCO Observatory: Community, Health and the  Arts 'Vital Arts-Vibrant Communities'. My talk was titled 'Circus, art and community adds a colourful balance to life'. The focus of the talk was how art, communities and circus continue to be a wonderfull source of inspiration in my life. The link below takes you to the UNESCO Observatory website and all the conference details. http://www.abp.unimelb.edu.au/unesco/cha-conference/

The conference aims: To bring together people with shared interests in the arts in order to encourage activities that cross disciplinary divisions, to exchange knowledge and inspire creative partnerships. To gather credible evidence about the contribution made by the arts to community Health. To develop approaches which embed the arts within health policy and planning.