A Stage Of Their Own Behind-The-Scenes With FemmeFest's Creators By Nikki Wilson Charlotte’s FemmeFest hit the streets last year with one mission: to prove that the old adage, “I am woman, hear me roar!” is still going strong. Back for its second year, FemmeFest promises to flood the streets with more girl power than ever. For 2009, the fun, female festival is offering new venues, plenty of music, and enough feminine energy to light up the NoDa art district. FemmeFest founders Lea Kuhlmann and Therese Bartholomew recently gave www.todayscharlottewoman.com the inside scoop on what makes FemmeFest the celebration you don’t want to miss.

TCW: Wow, FemmeFest really left an impression on Charlotte last year. How did it all begin?

Bartholomew: Lea contacted me last year and said she needed a partner in all this. As a writer and filmmaker, I’m a huge supporter of music in the community. But we wanted to make it diverse and include spoken word, painters, writers. We had the idea, and Lea was like, “OK, a few months later, this will happen.”  And it did.

TCW: Art, poetry, music, film – it seems like you have it all. But where’s the dancing?

Bartholomew: It would be awesome to add a dance troupe! But we are adding one thing at a time. There are so many areas to expand and events to add, but there’s only so much we can possibly take on, being just two people. Now, if someone wanted to step up and volunteer to take it on next year …

TCW: This year, FemmeFest nearly doubled in size compared to last year. What are your hopes for the event’s future?

Kuhlmann: We’d like to see FemmeFest grow into a full weekend festival, with activities starting Friday night, and going throughout the day on Saturday and into late Sunday afternoon. We’d like to include workshops, activities for kids, music throughout the day, and additional cultural components of theater and dance.

Bartholomew: We really want to expand the emerging artists section next year. Last year, we had art from 8-year-olds and 15-year-olds, but only like two or three. We’d like to maybe do a venue dedicated to youth art. If we can find someone willing to take on a children’s art section. (Laughs)

TCW: With over 30 musicians and dozens of artists, what game plan should a FemmeFest attendee adapt in order to see it all?

Bartholomew: Female performers will be onstage throughout the night. They do overlap, but the times are scattered with a variety of starts, so you can go see one poet, then run and see this musician next, etc. They are scattered throughout the night because we have so many, but there will be an opportunity to hit them all.

TCW: If you had to sum FemmeFest up in 10 words or less, how would you do it?

Kuhlmann: Let’s see … hmm, how about … “A fun festival celebrating women who can bring men”… wait… I can’t phrase what I’m trying to say … “A fun festival celebrating women for everyone.” How was that? Basically, I want people to know everyone can come. FemmeFest is all about women, but everyone is invited. We want to make this a family event. Really, it’s just a celebration of people from all walks of life. TCW