History

In September 1983, Plug-In Art formed a Women's Committee to look at ways of changing the perception of Plug-In as a boys' club and to provide professional development support to emerging women artists. On that committee were board members Peter Krowina (carpenter), Paula Newman (video artist), Harry Symons (University of Manitoba School of Art student) and Diane Whitehouse (artist and University of Manitoba School of Art sessional professor).

In MAWA: Culture Of Community, founder Diane Whitehouse describes the context in which MAWA sprang to life: "At that time there was a great deal of discussion on the board, in the community and amongst the art school sessionals, who were mainly women, about the lack of opportunities for women artists. There was a perception that Plug-In was inaccessible to local women artists. And it seemed virtually impossible for women to secure tenured faculty positions at the School of Art. There were more women than men graduating from the art school, but somehow the women just seemed to disappear from the scene after graduation. The situation prompted the question: is this as good as it gets (for women)?"

The committee's answer to that question was that it was not. They unveiled their response seven months later, on April 10, 1984. They launched a new Plug-In initiative designed to assist women artists in achieving their career aspirations. Andrea Philp was hired a month later to co-ordinate the fledgling program. In August, the committee was named Manitoba Artists for Women's Art or MAWA, to reflect the fact that both genders contribute to MAWA and that artists engaged in a wide range of production representing a broad cross-section of philosophies were welcome to participate.

MAWA has been operating as an independent organization since September of 1990. At that time, MAWA was renamed Mentoring Artists for Women’s Art, in anticipation of developing a national program. Through the years, MAWA's programming has provided invaluable opportunities for professional development and local and international networking. MAWA has always been concerned with looking beyond the most visible members of the community when determining programs. The highly successful Foundation Advisory Program (now Foundation Mentorship Program), which involves a year-long mentorship, assists artists in early stages of their careers to develop the confidence and skills to pursue professional art practice, and involves them in the Winnipeg art community. Women from rural Manitoba, who generally have fewer opportunities to develop their art practices in their regions, are encouraged to become involved with MAWA as mentors, mentees and in various volunteer capacities. The organization has also sponsored mentoring programs for incarcerated women.

While some aspects of the artistic community have changed, MAWA's raison d'être has remained constant: to support women artists at all levels. You can read more about MAWA's history and her impact on the community by picking up our publication MAWA: Culture Of Community (2004).