The Irksome Institute

A - Z

• Format:
• Institute for queer-feminist, anti-capitalist writing formats
• Location(s):
• Germany, Berlin
• From:
• 2015
• Contact:

• theirksome.de
  theirksome[a]gmail.com

• Contact Persons / Persons Involved:
• Johanna Montanari, Sina Holst
• Main Language Published:
• German, English
• History:

• Johanna Montanari and Sina Holst founded The Irksome Institute in summer 2015 as a distinctive, self-determined, courageous space for political writing. The intent was to explore their own voices, to come into contact with, and also collaborate with, other people who write, and to develop standards and benchmarks of their own. For its publications The Irksome Institute assembles diverse authors and builds polyphonic spaces in which »the ground is not smooth and the windows are wide open.«
  To date, The Irksome Institute has published two zines (open access at: theirksome.de) and an essay compilation, which are available from edition assemblage (www.edition-assemblage.de/buecher/wege-zum-nein).

• Content Focus:

• The Irksome Institute examines how political positions arise from personal experience and how writing can help clarify and share such positions. How does capitalism confront me in everyday life, for example? Where have I the power to act? How can I forge alliances with others?
  Core themes are sexualized violence, sexuality, care work, self-determination, working conditions, and the future.

• Organization and Decision-making Process:

• The Irksome Institute lives and works mainly in Berlin and cooperates on a project basis with a variety of people who write.
  The essay compilation »Wege zum Nein« [Ways to Saying No] is available in bookstores, the zines on the website. The Irksome Institute finds authors via open calls, contacts, and inquiries.

• Financing and Support:

• The Irksome Institute receives no funding. Printing costs for »Wege zum Nein« were kindly provided by the Gerda-Weiler-Stiftung [Foundation].

  Printing costs for the zines were recouped from sales on a donation basis. The work of The Irksome Institute is supported by great queer-feminist initiatives in various towns and cities, which invite The Irksome Institute to give readings and workshops. New contacts are always welcome!

• Conditions and Political Situation:

• The Irksome Institute has no means of its own to fund political writing and notes also that acquiring funding itself is a difficult task. In Berlin/ Germany readings, printing costs, office rents, etc. may be funded. Yet to The Irksome Institute’s knowledge, no grants or scholarships are available for political writing.

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