OUGD505 Studio Brief 2 - YSWN Interview

OUGD505 Studio Brief 2 - Yorkshire Sound Women Network Interview

It was great to receive another response for my interview, although I was hasty with the replies and didn't tender the questions well for YSWN - something I have now learnt from. However, we were able to have a chat and and they have asked me to send them my website over as they may be in need of a graphic designer which would be a great opportunity. 

Interview -

1. Could you tell me about the origins of YSWN?

I (Liz Dobson) am a lecture in music technology. I've noticed a significant lack of women applying for courses in these fields and formal research has shown that almost 90% of applications to music tech courses have been male for a long time. I've undertaken interviews myself and studied this topic, and finally (as my PhD is in education and social psychology of collaborative creativity in music technology) I decided to create what Lave and Wenger would maybe call a community of practice. To create mentoring and learning opportunities, access to experienced women, equipment, networks and so on. On July 14th 2015 I tweeted and used other social media to organise a first meeting and you can see what else has happened from that by looking through the website 

 

2. What is YSWN objectives? How do you aim to encourage women in the industry and do you have any advice?

Our mission statement https://yorkshiresoundwomen.wordpress.com/aims/

I encourage the industries themselves (software manufacturers, studios, live sound everything) to make them selves explicitly inclusive for women. To address unconscious bias about who the experts are and might be in sound (composition, engineering, digital signal processing etc.) and to proactively support and encourage pathways for girls and women. This might mean aligning with the values of Athena Swan, WISE or operations like ours to help understand the issues. 

We aim to encourage women not in the industry by connecting them with women who are. My advice would certainly be to find appropriate mentors and settings where you can explore equipment and ideas with people that are motivated to support and enable your practice, at whatever level. This is something we (in particular) are set up to do.

 

3. There are a lot of women who dream of DJing or producing, but don’t because of the inaccessibility of the scene. Would you agree with this statement?  

I couldn't really say anything to comment on those that are not visible and talking, but I can tell you that from our workshop feedback women comment on the need for inclusive and welcoming environments where they are less likely to feel judged. That when they come to meetings they forget that we are all women, and feel unselfconsciously able to just get on with learning and sharing knowledge. 

The scene does appear really very inaccessible for women, especially women that don't have good access to equipment, mentors and networks. Also, it is fairly well known that unconscious (and conscious) bias can lead many to assume that the operators in many technology and engineering domains are men rather than women. I'm not personally gender binary and I've heard a lot of people disassociate with technology and link this with gender. Great examples of positive change include MINT Berlin - who have successfully created portals for women to progress DJing skills. I think it is mainly important to shed the shackles of identity, find good mentors and seek out opportunities. I do think this is more difficult for people where they are conspicuously different - this includes women, trans men, trans women and other genders. 

 

4. How do you go about challenging stereotypes surrounding being a female DJ? 

I/we don't. Our organisation isn't specifically for DJs but for all areas of music tech mentoring. Mint challenge it in their marketing by showing clear images of their DJs - not as sexualised objects (commodities) but as real, interesting, powerful looking individuals ready to hit you with their sound. 

 

5. How would you compare the current UK electronic/dance music scene from 10 years ago and now? Is the scene changing for the better?

I can't comment on this

 

6. What’s next for YSWN? What would you like to achieve in the next coming months?

I'm afraid I can't comment on this as we are a committee of 7 and just at the end of a significant period of workshops and events. We are looking at our portfolio and thinking about the sustainable long term, fundraising and launching the next phase of pending workshop. Beyond that is confidential ;)