In December 2015, actress Sonja Mata approached director and fellow performer Claire Bauman about curating a show of one-minute dances, but they quickly changed course and started thinking about an event that combined arts and advocacy. They reached out to Awakenings Foundation—a group that promotes healing and recovery for sexual-assault survivors through art—which introduced them to Grace DeSant, a burlesque performer who was already planning a similar event. The result is Making (the) Movement, a one-day festival that takes place during Sexual Assault Awareness Month. The event takes place this Saturday, April 8, and features art, burlesque, children’s story time with drag queens, and one-minute dance performances. The organizers’ mission is to draw attention to sexual assault and also benefit Chicago groups that support survivors.
Howe says she recently heard artists express a desire to contribute to their communities, but because their incomes are generally so low they feel unable to contribute financially. This event allows them to offer up their craft in an effort to raise money.
One in five women, and one in 71 men, is likely to have been sexually assaulted in their lifetime, according to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center. This issue is familiar to artists, since sexual assault and abuse is prevalent in the arts—look no further than the local theater and comedy communities.
“I think this is definitely a time in the world where supporting causes that you’re passionate about is important,” Bauman said. “You don’t have to be a survivor to engage in this conversation.”
