”I had long had the idea of creating a festival for women in the arts. As a young musician from the Ex-Yugoslav Republic of Serbia, I experienced many troubling situations that nearly stopped me from pursuing music. While poor political and economic situations were among the issues that ultimately led to my departure of Serbia, one of the most troubling problems I faced was gender inequality, an issue that would follow me through my Master studies in France and Germany.
I moved to the United States in 2014 to pursue a Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The intent of my dissertation, “Doina Rotaru – The Voice of Romania” is to introduce this extraordinary Romanian woman composer to the U.S. The positive responses I received validated my belief that there are many women artists who have much to say, but have not had the opportunity to share their voices with the world and inspired the creation of the LunART Festival.
LunART raises awareness of the position of women in the arts through engaging, accessible concerts and events. LunART offers diverse programs representing current and relevant women in the arts, and we are committed to expanding and strengthening community ties through public performances and exhibitions. As we establish the festival’s reach into our local community and beyond, we see tremendous potential for growth in future years, with opportunities to expand our vision to theater, dance, opera, and visual arts, creating an interdisciplinary festival dedicated to women in all the arts.”
Dr. Iva Ugrcic
Founder & CEO/Artistic Director