KELOWNA ARTIST LAUNCHES ‘THE EMPOWERMENT PROJECT’ AS A WAY TO UNITE COMMUNITY & CELEBRATE WOMEN

News March 4, 2020

Posted by Harrison Crerar

KELOWNA ARTIST LAUNCHES ‘THE EMPOWERMENT PROJECT’ AS A WAY TO UNITE COMMUNITY & CELEBRATE WOMEN Featured Image

What empowers you? How do you empower others?

These are the 2 questions at the heart of the Empowered Project, a community art project launching on Friday, March 6th, at 5:30pm at Kelowna’s Rotary Centre for the Arts.

The art exhibition launch will consist of paintings by Artist Ana Luyben, performances by Roxanne Lindley, the first female chief for Westbank First Nation, musician Leila Neverland, poet Erin Scott and a discussion on women empowerment with Mandy Glinsbockel, a documentary photographer and women’s advocate who launched the #SPEAKOUT campaign to support sexual assault survivors with the Central Okanagan Elizabeth Fry Society.

“In short, the spirit of this beast is to celebrate the journey of empowerment, and the progression of democracy through the context of being a woman. That is why I wanted to paint women from historical archives; to shed a tiny ray of light on how far we’ve come!”, says local Artist, Ana Eries Luyben.

Artist_Ana Eries Luyben.jpg

Event attendees will be invited to take part in the project by drawing a self-portrait or a portrait of someone who empowers them. All drawings will be gathered and put into a collage canvas for residents around the city to enjoy. The project will continue over the coming months with the City of Kelowna.

All proceeds from the March 6th event will be donated to Trauma Counselling Services at Elizabeth Fry Society through their #SPEAKOUT movement to support Survivors of sexual violence.

TICKETS BY DONATION are available at www.trellis.org/empowered

For additional information, contact:

Ana Eries Luyben, Artist, The Empowered Project: anomalyartwork@gmail.com / 778-581-8789

Mandy Glinsbockel, Central Okanagan Elizabeth Fry Society: fdc.efry@coefs.ca / 250-763-4613

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