Girls I Rate has announced a partnership with Strawberries & Creem, which is the first festival to sign the GIR 50:50 Pledge for gender equality and diversity in their programming and staffing.
S&C have ensured a gender-balanced line-up this year over two days of music.
Artists performing at S&C have signed the pledge too, including singer/songwriter Miraa May, rap tastemaker & radio host Kenny Allstar, and Nigerian-born DJ & producer Cuppy.
GIR has been spearheading equality and opportunities for women within the UK music and creative industries since 2016. Founded by Grammy award-winning songwriter Carla Marie Williams’ charity, GIR advocates for visible and tangible change. It aims to cultivate activity and increase opportunities; pushes for an equal gender balance in the music and entertainment industries; and creates safe spaces and educational programmes for women. This project will have a particular focus on Black girls and women in the UK, the Caribbean, and in Africa.
S&C co-founder Preye Crooks met Carla Marie via his work at Columbia Records, connecting GIR with the S&C team. GIR’s all-female DJ collective will take over the mainstage at S&C on September 19th.
The GIR 50:50 Pledge demands immediate change in the music and events/festivals spaces, as well as supporting the objectives of Keychange, a movement supported by Creative Europe to champion and support women and gender minorities in the music industry. All signatories acquired by Girls I Rate & Keychange will be collated in 2024 to show tangible progress across the industry.
Carla Marie Williams, GIR founder & songwriter, said: "Every year we see a disproportionate number of men being announced on festival line-ups, and change has been happening very slowly. We are thrilled to have the support of Strawberries & Creem, the first festival to sign our GIR 50:50 Pledge, and show that it is totally possible to make it happen in 2021. We are hopeful that many more festivals will follow and help us achieve our pledge to create the equal opportunities that women deserve in the music industry.”
Preye Crooks, S&C festival co-founder & booker, said: “As a growing festival with a close-knit team, it’s paramount to us that we use the platform we have to address issues in our society where we can. Championing gender equality, and supporting the best and brightest talent in the business, are both values we hold close – so alongside GIR, we wanted to take a visible and conscious stand. We’re delighted to have a gender-balanced line-up this year, and we will be working with GIR to do what we can to support gender equality and diversity, and empower women in the music industry.”
Each month, Music Week and Girls I Rate ask the most influential and successful women across the music and creative industries to share their top five career lessons. Subscribers can click here to read Music Week x Girls I Rate presents: Mentor Me - London The Plug (London Mars).
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