On behalf of Honeycomb - Creative Works, Dundalk Institute of Technology is seeking submissions for abstracts and position papers for a forthcoming Symposium entitled "Why is it so hard to stay? Women and Work in the Creative Industries" that will take place in Dundalk Institute of Technology on 1st May 2015.

The creative industries are marked by precarious labour practices and various gendered inequities that impact on the lives of women who work within them. They also provide a great deal of personal autonomy, opportunities for self-expression and economic agency. Interrogating the intersections and divergences between these dynamics is important to understand how and why women stay, or leave, this sector.

Organised by the Creative Media Research Group, Dundalk Institute of Technology, The Centre for Media Research Ulster University and Maynooth University, Department of Media Studies, with the support of Honeycomb - Creative Works, this symposium aims to bring together academics, practitioners, artists and policy makers to examine topics such as:

• The structural impediments to women’s full and prolonged engagement in the Creative Industries;
• The day-to-day challenges that women face - (#Changetheratio)
• Locating the role models? How women can lead and stay true to themselves;
• Crafters, makers and hackers – the place for women in male dominated spaces;
• Breaking the cycle – how do we empower and inform the next generation of female creative media practitioners;
• Positive policies – organisational structures to support women in creative work.

The format for the day will be a combination of paper presentations and roundtable discussions and as such this call seeks both paper proposals and position papers.

Those that are interested in presenting a 15 minute paper are asked to submit an abstract (maximum 250 words) and those that would like to be involved in a roundtable discussion are asked to submit a position paper (maximum 200 words) outlining their interest in the symposium, particular insights/experience they will bring to the discussion and/or what they would like to get out of the event. We would particularly welcome contributions from practitioners to our round table discussion.

All proposals should be submitted no later than Friday the 10th of April to using Creative Industries CFP in the subject line.

Attendance at the symposium is free and we welcome anyone who wishes to attend. Simply register in advance on the Honeycomb website.