Garden Party

The numbers came out again recently: a comparison of women published in major magazines versus the number of men. The results, it’s fair to say, are unfair, skewed consistently toward the masculine. In the words of a Washington Post headline for a story on the subject: “The key to literary success? Be a man — or write like one.”

For the past 18 years, local publishing house Kore Press has been working to change the stats. Co-founder and Publisher Lisa Bowden has been advocating change, publishing women writers and training them. The nonprofit recently won an Innovations in Reading Prize from the National Book Foundation for its afterschool program for young women, Grrls Literary Activism Workshop. Bowden was also recently honored with a 2011 Women on the Move Award from the YWCA and the UA Poetry Center awarded Bowden the Mary Ann Campau Fellowship for her work in the poetry community.

Each year, to support their efforts, Kore Press holds a fundraiser. This year, as last, it’s a garden party, a moment in the sun. “It’s a chance to get outside before it gets too hot,” Bowden said. “People don’t often get to hang out in the grass anymore.”

There will be picnic blankets, a buffet from Gallery of Food and an acoustic performance from Amy Rude and Vicki Brown. There might even be a guest tuba player.

The main event that evening, however, will be the art and services silent auction. “We’ve got some really fantastic artists donating — over 30 artists,” Bowden said. Those artists include Valerie Galloway, Ken Rosenthal, Patricia Katchur, Ann Simmons-Myers, Jude Clarke, Catherine Eyde, Cynthia Miller and Simon Donovan. The proceeds go to support Kore Press’s programming, all with an eye toward increasing the quality and presence of literature written by women.

The event will be held at the Franklin House, 402 N. Main Ave. The gardens will be open from 6pm to 9pm June 5. Tickets cost $15 ahead of time or $20 at the door. Children under 12 can go for free, and tickets can be purchased at KorePress.org.

For the most recent study on the representation of women in literature, go to VIDAWeb.org. VIDA is a nonprofit formed to advance the conversation about the critical reception of women’s writing. You’ll notice that in the pie charts women rarely constitute more than a third of the whole.