LISTEN Responds After Bluesfest Promoter Calls For Apology Following Line-up Backlash
"Our issue is not with the festival itself, nor the women who have already been booked to play."
Music industry activism group LISTEN has addressed the issue of gender disparity on the first line-up for Bluesfest 2019 in a new statement.
The festival's social media was overwhelmed after the male-heavy line-up was released last week led by LISTEN who stated on Facebook, "You have shown women and non binary musicians that they don't deserve a spot, and if they do, they are not worth getting announced first".
Artists Stella Donnelly and Jen Cloher also slammed the festival on social media with Donnelly posting a list of non-male artists who she suggested could be included on the bill and Cloher telling the festival to "grow up".
As Music Feeds reports, Bluesfest promoter Peter Noble has called for an apology from the critics after taking to his personal Facebook to claim that if the activist group "actually Listened, and did [their] research [they] would find Bluesfest is an extremely inclusive event" before calling for the group to "admit, [they] screwed up here and offer an apology".
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LISTEN Director Elly Scrine then went on ABC Radio on Monday and called Noble's comments "aggressive" and stated that "in the current climate, Bluesfest should know better".
In an additional statement released this morning, LISTEN have addressed why they believe the commentary was necessary saying the "critique focuses on why it is problematic to platform predominantly men, and no women of colour".
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Acknowledging the importance of first announcements, LISTEN then goes on to say that a first announcement is indicative of "who a festival believes has significant value; they set the tone of a festival and draw the bulk of ticket sales".
"Our issue is not with the festival itself, nor the women who have already been booked to play," it reads.
"Our issue is with the message repeatedly sent by Australian festivals that women and non binary artists, especially those who are Indigenous and artists of colour, do not deserve to be announced first."
The statement also addresses the "systemic problem in the music industry" of underrepresentation and calls on further action from festivals like Bluesfest who carry "great economic and cultural weight within Australia" saying they need "to shoulder the attendant responsibilities, rather than holding themselves above reproach or criticism".
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