Innovation is happening: cultural education through a gender lens

Many of the scholarship holders stated that they have been granted new professional development opportunities.

Such is the case of Judith C. from Amazonas, who has managed to win the Economic Incentives for Culture of the Ministry of Culture with her project Rescue of the culture and traditions of my land (Rescate de la cultura y tradiciones de mi tierra in Spanish). 

“Winning a Cultural Managers Scholarship gave me the opportunity to acquire academic knowledge and be trained as a cultural manager. This has opened many doors for me to work in my hometown, as I am taking part in cultural projects and transmitting craft techniques in different towns in Amazonas. The subjects I studied provided me with the necessary tools to manage cultural projects”, says Judith C. 

Similarly, Liz D., from Ucayali, Peru, is another scholarship winner with her project Ainbo, creative women artists (Ainbo, mujeres artistas creativas in spanish). “Living outside Lima made it more difficult for me to access to cultural training programmes. The scholarship made me value my work more and build self-confidence trusting my abilities.”, says Liz D. 

Violeta Q. from Ayacucho, Peru, a winner of the Bicentenary Art Competition and  finalist in the National Painting Competition of the Central Reserve Bank of Peru, said: “Thanks to the scholarship I love my work more. I am convinced that cultural management is indispensable for the integral development of our society. I also learned the importance of deepening our study and research habits in order to strengthen them.”  

There is still much work to be done to break down barriers of access and equity, but, standing hand in hand with arts and culture women workers in Peru, we will keep working towards a society that encourages diversity and is free of violence against women’s cultural rights.