Arts, Culture & Media

This section contains material on feminist artistic and cultural expression, featuring written, visual, auditory, and film media that actively engaged with the women’s movement. Feminist cultural production was political both in terms of content, which represented women’s lives in their own voices and images, as well as modes of production that embodied feminist principles and practices.

More about Arts, Culture & Media

Key themes include:

  • Resisting harmful representations of women in the arts and media
  • Interaction between women’s art and women’s activism
  • Community building through festivals, conferences, and other events
  • Women-led collectives, organizations, and businesses giving voice to women’s artistic, literary, and academic expression
  • Breaking barriers to women’s participation in cultural production and the marginalization of their work

Sub-Issues

Gender & Media
Publishing & Bookstores
Artists & Arts Activism
Feminist Humour

Archival Materials

Buttons
Alter Eros

  • Year created:

    1984

  • Region:

    Ontario

  • Language:

    English
Amazon

  • Year created:

    --

  • Language:

    English
This image of 'desire' is from the 1983 Women's Perspective exhibit at the Partisan Gallery in Toronto.
Desire from Women’s Perspective

  • Year created:

    1983

  • Region:

    Ontario

  • Language:

    English
The button was created in 1990 to protest cuts to funding of national women's organizations and local women's centres through the Secretary of State Women's Program.
I Slept at Secretary of State for $1.6 M – Where’s the Money?

  • Year created:

    1990

  • Region:

    National (all of Canada)

  • Language:

    English
I.W.Y. women in the arts (1975)

  • Year created:

    1975

  • Region:

    Ontario

  • Language:

    English
This is a button celebrating the 1985 Canadian Women's Festival / Le Festival des Femmes Canadiennes
The Canadian Women’s Festival ’85/ Le Festival des Femmes Canadiennes

  • Year created:

    1985

  • Region:

    National (all of Canada)

  • Language:

    English and French
The Woman's Common was a fully women-owned and operated cooperative in Toronto offering a club, restaurant, and venue for cultural events. It was a safe, harassment-free environment for lesbians.
The Woman’s Common

  • Year created:

    1988

  • Region:

    Ontario

  • Language:

    English
A button drawing attention to women artists.
Women artists are everywhere

  • Year created:

    --

  • Region:

    National (all of Canada)

  • Language:

    English
Women’s Cultural Building

  • Year created:

    1987

  • Region:

    Ontario

  • Language:

    English

Documents
Abortion – Stories from North and South

  • Year created:

    1984

  • Region:

    National (all of Canada)

  • Language:

    English
Alternative Media: Regina Women On Camera

  • Year created:

    1985

  • Region:

    Saskatchewan

  • Language:

    English
Dykes on Mykes: Many a Young Dyke… (1996)

  • Year created:

    1996

  • Author(s):

    Deborah Vanslet

  • Region:

    Quebec

  • Language:

    English
Half Human, Half Heartache: A Passe Muraille Seed Show

  • Year created:

    --

  • Region:

    Ontario

  • Language:

    English
Isis Is

  • Year created:

    1974

  • Region:

    British Columbia

  • Language:

    English
Isis: B.C. Women Artists Catalogue – 1974

  • Year created:

    1974

  • Region:

    British Columbia

  • Language:

    English
Isis: Distribution and Production Pamphlet – 1975

  • Year created:

    1975

  • Region:

    British Columbia

  • Language:

    English
Isis: EMIGRANTE Flyer – 1979

  • Year created:

    1979

  • Author(s):

    Barbara Halpern Martineau , P.B. Schwartz

  • Region:

    British Columbia

  • Language:

    English
Isis: Festival Tour Catalogue – 1974

  • Year created:

    1974

  • Author(s):

    Het Van Bentham , Judie Slind

  • Region:

    British Columbia

  • Language:

    English
Isis: Interlock Chapter – Goddess of Life Show

  • Year created:

    1975

  • Region:

    British Columbia

  • Language:

    English
Isis: Letter from Margaret Trudeau – 1977

  • Year created:

    1977

  • Author(s):

    Margaret Trudeau

  • Region:

    British Columbia

  • Language:

    English
Isis: Women’s Media 1976 Catalogue

  • Year created:

    1976

  • Region:

    British Columbia

  • Language:

    English
Picture Yourself In – The People and the Process

  • Year created:

    --

  • Region:

    Saskatchewan

  • Language:

    English
Reports (1981): Canadian Cultural Development with Equity for Women

  • Year created:

    1981

  • Author(s):

    Thelma McCormack, Lynn McDonald, Diana Mason

  • Region:

    National (all of Canada)

  • Language:

    English
Script: Out for Blood by The Clichettes (Canadian Theatre Review – Spring 1996)

  • Year created:

    1996

  • Author(s):

    The Clichettes

  • Region:

    Ontario

  • Language:

    English
Talking About Ourselves: The Literary Productions of the Native Women of Canada (CRIAW Papers/Les document de l’ICREF No. 11)

  • Year created:

    1985

  • Author(s):

    Barbara Thompson Godard

  • Region:

    National (all of Canada)

  • Language:

    English
The Female Eye

  • Year created:

    1986

  • Region:

    Quebec

  • Language:

    English

Ephemera
Dykes on Mykes T-shirt (front/back)

  • Year created:

    --

  • Creator:

    Deborah VanSlet

  • Region:

    Ontario

Films

Film still of Inuit Artist, Kenojuak standing in front of her artwork printed on paper. Her hand rests on her art, depicting black birds positioned around a circle, with a yellow circular overlay in the middle of the circle.
Eskimo Artist: Kenojuak

  • Year created:

    1963

  • Filmmaker(s):

    John Feeney

  • Language:

    English

  • Region:

    Nunavut
Still from the film "Firewords" featuring Louky Bersianik, a middle-aged white woman with light brown hair wearing a teal blouse, writing at her desk.
Firewords: Louky Bersianik, Jovette Marchessault, Nicole Brossard

  • Year created:

    1986

  • Filmmaker(s):

    Dorothy Todd Hénaut

  • Language:

    English and French

  • Region:

    Quebec
Still from the film "Flamenco at 5:15" featuring a co-ed group of National Ballet School dancers learning how to dance the flamenco.
Flamenco at 5:15

  • Year created:

    1983

  • Filmmaker(s):

    Cynthia Scott

  • Language:

    English

  • Region:

    Ontario
Film still from Hands of History of a woman standing in front of an art piece, panting the top right corner. The art piece contains images of wolves, clothing hangers and symbols of Indigenous clothing. There are also white painted handprints on the bottom portion of the art piece. There is also a small table with paint, paint brushes and other art supplies directly behind the woman.
Hands of History

  • Year created:

    1994

  • Filmmaker(s):

    Loretta Todd

  • Language:

    English

  • Region:

    National (all of Canada)
Film still from "Long Time Comin'" of Faith Nolan sitting on the left side talking to Grace Channer, sitting on the right side. Both are sitting in a forest.
Long Time Comin’

  • Year created:

    1993

  • Filmmaker(s):

    Dionne Brand

  • Language:

    English

  • Region:

    National (all of Canada)
Still of filmmaker Michael Rubbo and Margaret Atwood sitting on tree stumps and talking at a campsite beside a row of her books.
Margaret Atwood: Once in August

  • Year created:

    1984

  • Filmmaker(s):

    Michael Rubbo

  • Language:

    English

  • Region:

    National (all of Canada)
Still featuring Margaret Laurence, an older white woman with short grey hair and glasses wearing a floral dress, sitting at a kitchen table and opening letters.
Margaret Laurence, First Lady of Manawaka

  • Year created:

    1978

  • Filmmaker(s):

    Robert Duncan

  • Language:

    English

  • Region:

    National (all of Canada)
Reel Women’s Cable Collective – Women’s Art in Process: The Making of Ritual and Ritual Objects

  • Year created:

    1989

  • Filmmaker(s):

    Reel Women's Cable Collective

  • Language:

    English

  • Region:

    Saskatchewan

Periodicals

Branching Out

Branching Out – Vol. 5, No. 2 – 1978

  • Year created:

    1978

  • Publisher:

    New Women's Magazine Society

  • Author(s):

    Barbara Halpern Martineau , Joan Anne Gordon, Connie Hunt, Pat Wright, Helen Melnyk , Joyce Marshall, Maureen Hynes, Rebecca Smith, Sandy Pentland, Leslie Bella , Cathy Hobart, Sharon Corne, Marilyn Baker, Aritha van Herk , Diana Palting, Diane Carriere , Danielle Bouchard , Sharon Batt, Claudia Christopherson, Cathy Ford, Eileen Kernaghan, Mary Anne Eriksen, Joy Stephenson

  • Region:

    National (all of Canada)

  • Language:

    English

Diva: A Quarterly Journal of Women of South Asian Origin

thumbnail of Diva: Art and Literary Journal of Women of South Asian Origin – Vol. 04 Issue 02 – Winter 1993-1994
Diva: Literary Journal of South Asian Women – Vol. 4, Issue 2 – Winter 1993/1994

  • Year created:

    1993

  • Publisher:

    Diva: Art and Literary Journal of Women of South Asian Origin

  • Region:

    Ontario

  • Language:

    English

Makara

Makara – Vol. 2, No. 3 – 1977

  • Year created:

    1977

  • Publisher:

    Pacific Women's Graphic Arts Co-operative Association

  • Author(s):

    Jean Kamins, Barbara Kahan, Barbara Raphael, Mary Schendlinger, Gwen Hauser, Penny Kemp, Bonnie Kreps, Pat Smith, Frances Rooney, Daphne Marlatt, Claire Culhane, Jocelan Tracey, M. Errat

  • Language:

    English
Makara – Vol. 1, No. 1 – December 1975

  • Year created:

    1975

  • Publisher:

    Pacific Women's Graphic Arts Co-operative Association

  • Author(s):

    Suzanne Fournier, Nora D. Randall, Josie Cook, Elizabeth Rupert, Marian Llewelyn, Marion Fuller, Jeannine Mitchell, Midori Oba, Colette French, Beth Rogers

  • Language:

    English
Makara – Vol. 1, No. 2 – February/March 1976

  • Year created:

    1976

  • Publisher:

    Pacific Women's Graphic Arts Co-operative Association

  • Author(s):

    Wendy Barrett, Tom Sandborn, Carolyn Bell, Siobhan, Margo Dunn, Terry Hoffman, Lynn Phipps, Eve Jonson, Pat Smith, Karen Muntean, Jeannine Mitchell, Saeko Usukawa, Helen Potrebenko

  • Language:

    English
Makara – Vol. 1, No. 3 – April/May 1976

  • Year created:

    1976

  • Publisher:

    Pacific Women's Graphic Arts Co-operative Association

  • Author(s):

    Jeannine Mitchell, Colette French, Saeko Usukawa, E. Sands, Barb Holdack, Marion R. Smith, Rose Marie Larsson, Annie Lee, Margo Dunn, Cynthia Flood

  • Language:

    English

Matriart

Matriart – Vol. 1, No. 1 – Spring 1990

  • Year created:

    1990

  • Publisher:

    Women's Art Resource Centre

  • Author(s):

    Linda Abrahams , Irene Packer, Pam Patterson, Sylvat Aziz, Maggie Hetwig, Anne Vespry, Darla Essop, Sarindar Dhaliwal, Judith Doyle, Rest Gender, Mona Hatoum, Cynthia Lorenz

  • Region:

    National (all of Canada)

  • Language:

    English
Matriart – Vol. 1, No. 2 – Summer/Fall 1990

  • Year created:

    1990

  • Publisher:

    Women's Art Resource Centre

  • Author(s):

    Susan Beamish , Donna Crate, Libby Oughton, tara hart, Marusia Boclurkiw, Buseje Bailey, Patricia Seaman, karen augustine, Sara Diamond, Pam Patterson, Anne Vespry, Naomie Riches, Tracy TieF, Darla Essop, Carol Liang, Randy Spires

  • Region:

    National (all of Canada)

  • Language:

    English
Matriart – Vol. 1, No. 3 – Winter 1991

  • Year created:

    1991

  • Publisher:

    Women's Art Resource Centre

  • Author(s):

    Larissa Lai , Joy Asham Fedorick, Daria Assop, Dôre Michelut, Ayanna Black, Sandra Haar, Brenda Joy Lem, Anne Vespry, Ritz Chow, Rhonda Hackett , Sarindar Dhaliwal, Rhonda Hackett, Eve Lewarne, Roxana Farrell, Catherine Brooks, Janet Tulloch , Nicole Tanguay, Carol Watson, Linda Abrahams

  • Region:

    National (all of Canada)

  • Language:

    English
Matriart – Vol. 1, No. 4 – 1991

  • Year created:

    1991

  • Publisher:

    Women's Art Resource Centre

  • Author(s):

    Martha Judge, Irene Packer, Naomi McCormack, Cathy Cade, Joyce Kline, Karen Houle, Allison Hyde, Barbara Harper, Ruth Koski, Carol Laing, Anna Gronau, Natalka Husur, Debbie O'Rourke, Terri Whetstone, Jessica Bradley, Loren Williams, Randi Spires

  • Region:

    National (all of Canada)

  • Language:

    English
Matriart – Vol. 2, No. 2 – 1992

  • Year created:

    1992

  • Publisher:

    Women's Art Resource Centre

  • Author(s):

    Linda Abrahams , Daria Essop, Aimee Clair, Rosanna Sorella, Tasse Geldart, Suzanne Macleod, Cheryl WaterWomon, Amarna Moscote, trans. Shauna Herman, Diana Thompson, Ingrid Macdonald, Robin Pacific , Karen Fogg, Kathy Shaidle , Mimi Stables, Julie Arnold, Anne Vespry, Randi Spires

  • Region:

    National (all of Canada)

  • Language:

    English
Matriart – Vol. 2, No. 3 – 1992

  • Year created:

    1992

  • Publisher:

    Women's Art Resource Centre

  • Author(s):

    Susan N. Stewart , Gail Hanlon, Martha Cole, Ingrid MacDonald, Matti Sevink, Edna Manitowabi, Pam Patterson, Carolyn Rowney, Marsha Kennedy, Libby Oughton, Shawna Dempsey, Stephanie Keleman, Daria Essop, Susan Cunningham, Norma Lundberg

  • Region:

    National (all of Canada)

  • Language:

    English
Matriart – Vol. 3, No. 1 – 1992

  • Year created:

    1992

  • Publisher:

    Woman's Art Resource Centre

  • Author(s):

    Gayle K Horii , Theresa Ann Glaremin, Claudia Burke, Persimmon Blackbridge, Jo-Ann Mayhew, Elaine Avila, Geri Ferguson, Bea Walkus, Michelle Kanashiro-Christensen, Lyn MacDonald, Judi Harris, Sandy Smirle, Anita Mitra, Thomasos, Sylvia Fraser, Sharon Rosenberg, Randi Spires

  • Region:

    National (all of Canada)

  • Language:

    English
Matriart – Vol. 4, No. 1 – 1993

  • Year created:

    1993

  • Publisher:

    Women's Art Resource Centre

  • Author(s):

    Linda Abrahams, Neil Tenhaaf, Penelope Stewart, Judith Baldwin, Kyo Maclear, Janice Andrea, Fay Cromwell-Tollenaar, Randi Spires

  • Region:

    National (all of Canada)

  • Language:

    English
Matriart – Vol. 4, No. 2 – 1994

  • Year created:

    1994

  • Publisher:

    Women's Art Resource Centre

  • Author(s):

    Fay Cromwell-Tollenaar, Esther Lee Deitch, Janice Andreae, Gloria Zenar, Yvonne Singer, Penelope Glasser, Jamelie Hassan

  • Region:

    National (all of Canada)

  • Language:

    English
Matriart – Vol. 4, No. 3 – 1994

  • Year created:

    1994

  • Publisher:

    Women's Art Resource Centre

  • Author(s):

    Fay Cromwell-Tollenaar, Dot Tuer, Janice Andreae, Nancy Paterson, Stephanie A. Smith, Ingrid Chu, Randi Spires

  • Region:

    Ontario

  • Language:

    English
Matriart – Vol. 4, No. 4 – 1994

  • Year created:

    1994

  • Publisher:

    Women's Art Resource Centre

  • Author(s):

    Linda Abrahams, Nkiru Nzegwu, Janice Andreae, Penelope Stewart, Marni Jackson, Lori Gilbert, Carol Barbour

  • Region:

    Ontario

  • Language:

    English
Matriart – Vol. 6, No. 2 & 3 – 1996

  • Year created:

    1996

  • Publisher:

    Women's Art Resource Centre (WARC)

  • Author(s):

    Lynn Beavis, Linda Abrahams, Penelope Glasser, Kathleen Vaughan, Virginnia MacDonnell, Debbie O'Rourke, Diane Denton, Barbara Godard, Louise Lui

  • Region:

    National (all of Canada)

  • Language:

    English
Matriart – Vol. 7, No. 1 & 2 – 1997

  • Year created:

    1997

  • Publisher:

    Women's Art Resource Centre

  • Author(s):

    Linda Abrahams, Carol Laing, Janice Andreae, Marion Hare, Sherri Telenko, Fay Cromwell, Pauline Sinclair, Nkiru Nzegwu, Virginia MacDonnell, Carol Popedenwory , Donna Lypchuk, Kelly Phillips, Selma Latific, Haruko Okano

  • Region:

    Ontario

  • Language:

    English
Matriart – Vol. 7, No. 3 – 1998

  • Year created:

    1998

  • Publisher:

    Woman's Art Resource Centre

  • Author(s):

    Janice Hladki, Ann Holmes, Donna Lypchuck, Gail Bourgeoise, Janice Andreae, Patricia Deadman, Deborah Barndt, Ingrid Mayrhofer

  • Region:

    National (all of Canada)

  • Language:

    English
Matriart – Vol. 2, No. 4 – 1992

  • Year created:

    1992

  • Publisher:

    Women's Art Resource Centre

  • Author(s):

    Randi Spires , Irene Packer, Gail Duiker, Barbara Sternberg, Penelope Stewart, Sandy Smirle, Cheryl WaterWomon, Pamela Harris, Joane Cardinal-Schubert, Kathy Vatcher, Anne Vespry, SkyBlue Mary Morin, Maxine Tynes

  • Region:

    National (all of Canada)

  • Language:

    English

Newfoundland Status of Women Newsletter/St. John's Status of Women Council Newsletter

St. John’s Status of Women Council Newsletter –  July and August 1985

  • Year created:

    1985

  • Publisher:

    St. John's Status of Women Council

  • Author(s):

    Roberta Buchanan, Sharon Pope, Jane Robinson, Janet Marshall, Pamela Hodgson, Dorothy Inglis, Helen Porter, Cheryl Long, Kerry Gosse, Diane Duggan

  • Language:

    English
St. John’s Status of Women Council Newsletter – December 1984 (Arts Issue)

  • Year created:

    1984

  • Publisher:

    St John's Status of Women Council

  • Author(s):

    Roberta Buchanan, Sandy Stavlo, Pat Balsom

  • Language:

    English

York Women's Centre Newsletter

York Women’s Centre Newsletter – January 1983, Third Edition

  • Year created:

    1983

  • Publisher:

    York Women's Centre

  • Author(s):

    Marilyn Marshal, Laurie Kruk, Fay Newaui, Linda Krige, Kari N. Brown, Louise Mahood , Judith Pilolesky Santos, Franka Adriano

  • Language:

    English

Posters
A Show of Works

  • Year created:

    --

  • Region:

    British Columbia

  • Language:

    English
Atthis Theatre in Toronto was a non-professional group that grew around a lesbian audience and used theatre for expression.
Atthis Theatre

  • Year created:

    --

  • Region:

    Ontario

  • Language:

    English
Be Aware this is a Feminist Press

  • Year created:

    --

  • Region:

    British Columbia

  • Language:

    English
Building Bridges in 88

  • Year created:

    1988

  • Region:

    British Columbia

  • Language:

    English
Dance In Canada Benefit Party and Auction

  • Year created:

    1978

  • Visual Artist:

    R. Barnett

  • Region:

    Ontario

  • Language:

    English
December 6, 1989

  • Year created:

    1990

  • Visual Artist:

    Mary Hackney

  • Region:

    National (all of Canada)

  • Language:

    English
Do You Care About What Happens to Kids?

  • Year created:

    --

  • Region:

    British Columbia

  • Language:

    English
Dykes on Mykes – Show Promo Poster

  • Year created:

    --

  • Region:

    Quebec

  • Language:

    English
Dykes on Mykes: 10th Anniversary Poster (1997)

  • Year created:

    1997

  • Region:

    Quebec

  • Language:

    French
Feminists Examine the Right

  • Year created:

    1985

  • Region:

    British Columbia

  • Language:

    English
I intend to keep fighting as a lesbian – Susan Saxe

  • Year created:

    --

  • Region:

    British Columbia

  • Language:

    English
International Women’s Day, March 8

  • Year created:

    --

  • Visual Artist:

    Wendy L. Davis and Norma Dvorsky

  • Region:

    British Columbia

  • Language:

    English
I’m Not Mad I’m Angry

  • Year created:

    --

  • Region:

    British Columbia

  • Language:

    English
Kinesis: news about women that’s not in the dailies

  • Year created:

    1985

  • Visual Artist:

    S. Stewart

  • Region:

    British Columbia

  • Language:

    English
Kootenay ’74 A Status of Women Conference

  • Year created:

    1974

  • Region:

    British Columbia

  • Language:

    English
Lavender Shorts – Labour Pains (1986)

  • Year created:

    1986

  • Region:

    Ontario

  • Language:

    English
Learn from the Past, Work for the Future

  • Year created:

    1992

  • Visual Artist:

    Clarence Mills

  • Region:

    British Columbia

  • Language:

    English
Press Gang Benefit: An Evening’s Entertainment for Women!

  • Year created:

    1976

  • Region:

    British Columbia

  • Language:

    English
Send These Lips to Houston

  • Year created:

    1984

  • Region:

    Ontario

  • Language:

    English
The 4th Annual 5 Minute Feminist Cabaret (Toronto) – 1986

  • Year created:

    1986

  • Region:

    Ontario

  • Language:

    English
The Sixth Annual 5 Minute Feminist Cabaret (Toronto) – March 7, 1988

  • Year created:

    1988

  • Region:

    Ontario

  • Language:

    English
Vancouver Women’s Video & Film Festival

  • Year created:

    --

  • Visual Artist:

    beckwoman

  • Region:

    British Columbia

  • Language:

    English
womankind presents an evening of disco music

  • Year created:

    --

  • Region:

    British Columbia

  • Language:

    English
Women in Focus is Looking for Videotapes by Women

  • Year created:

    --

  • Region:

    British Columbia

  • Language:

    English
Women Speak Out

  • Year created:

    1984

  • Region:

    British Columbia

  • Language:

    English
Women Take Back the Future

  • Year created:

    1985

  • Visual Artist:

    Nola Johnston

  • Region:

    British Columbia

  • Language:

    English
Women Working

  • Year created:

    1972

  • Region:

    British Columbia

  • Language:

    English
Women’s Centre

  • Year created:

    --

  • Region:

    British Columbia

  • Language:

    English
women’s work – gallery 76

  • Year created:

    --

  • Region:

    Ontario

  • Language:

    English
Women’s Festival – Saskatoon (1974)

  • Year created:

    1974

  • Region:

    Saskatchewan

  • Language:

    English
Women’s Liberation Alliance

  • Year created:

    --

  • Region:

    British Columbia

  • Language:

    English