Empowering girls and women to work in music technology

A 2016 survey by the leading international professional body for people working in music technology (the Audio Engineering Society) found that just 7% of its members who reported their gender were women. This disparity is rooted in situations where boys often dominate tech-based lessons at school, young women lack supportive informal networks and role models, and overt or unconscious sexism affects the decisions of gatekeepers within the music industry.

For more information on the research in this article email:

e.d.dobson@hud.ac.uk or visit pure.hud.ac.uk Dr Liz Dobson

Collaboration, learning and creativity

Since arriving at the University of Huddersfield in 2007 Dr Liz Dobson has conducted research investigating the interrelation of collaborative process, learning and creativity, with particular focus upon music technology environments. This research has underpinned a range of initiatives to address the underrepresentation of women in music technology.

CollabHub

Dr Dobson created CollabHub at the University of Huddersfield in 2012, an experimental extracurricular environment for student-led collaborative and multidisciplinary practice. This generated new insights into effective models for learning through co-creative practice. Dr Dobson explored how these insights might provide the basis of a framework for increasing the participation of women in music technology, drawing upon fieldwork with feminist sound and music collectives internationally. The findings from this research demonstrated the value of collaboration, learning and innovation.

Yorkshire Sound Women Network

In 2015 Dr Dobson initiated the Yorkshire Sound Women Network (YSWN), to support women as a minority in music technology. Through YSWN and other engagement activities, her work has contributed to the development of music technology skills, industry knowledge and career aspirations of girls and women across West Yorkshire and has been a catalyst for spin-off grassroots enterprise initiatives in the UK, North America and Europe.

Creating opportunities

These initiatives have created employment opportunities for professional women musicians; and formed the basis of new international advocacy work that is supporting improved career pathways for girls and women in audio around the world.

Since 2015, Dr Dobson has developed a model for practice that positions these insights on collaboration and learning in relation to feminist values. Her term ‘Digital Audio Ecofeminism’ characterises the values prioritised by feminist sound and music collectives set up to support people of marginalised genders.

Between 2015 and July 2020, YSWN coordinated 175 events and educational workshops, involving 838 women and girls, and has cemented an international reputation as a pioneering organisation in the field, raising over £100k for its on-going work. It has also inspired nine UK-based and international spin-off groups.

These activities have resulted in new music technology skills and knowledge for individuals, increased confidence and aspirations, a more diverse music sector through the establishment of new organisations, economic and employment benefits and changed attitudes and behaviours in the wider music industry.