13.03.2025

On March 13th, 2025, Zana Hoxha led a thought-provoking workshop titled Gender Equality in Art Production, bringing together 16 participants from diverse artistic fields to engage in critical discussions about gender inequality within the creative industries. The workshop focused on exploring the structural barriers, representation, and power dynamics that shape artistic creation and production. Through a combination of presentations, group discussions, and interactive exercises, participants examined the challenges women and marginalized genders face in the art world, as well as feminist strategies to challenge and dismantle these barriers.

The workshop began with an icebreaker, “Who Holds the Power?” which prompted participants to reflect on gendered power structures within their own artistic environments. This was followed by a deep dive into the gender gap in arts and culture, with statistics and case studies highlighting the significant barriers to equal representation in terms of funding, visibility, leadership roles, and the pervasive pay gap. Participants also mapped out the gendered hierarchies in their artistic fields, identifying the unequal distribution of power.

One of the most impactful parts of the workshop came when three groups of three participants each improvised a theater scene, which addressed different aspects of gender inequality in the art world. These spontaneous performances provided a powerful opportunity for participants to reflect on and discuss the issues at hand. The theater scenes not only raised awareness about the challenges women and marginalized groups face in art production but also sparked meaningful discussions about possible solutions and the creation of more inclusive spaces.

The day wrapped up with addressing gender biases in artistic productions and sharing the key takeaways they learned. The workshop fostered a sense of solidarity and encouraged future collaboration opportunities, leaving participants inspired to advocate for gender equality and to implement the tools and strategies discussed in their own artistic practices.

This activity is part of the Creative Europe project “UNMASC! Promoting Gender Justice through Theatre”.