Some of us live much of our lives feeling invisible–unseen and unheard.

Airing Out the “Dirty” Laundry is an ongoing participatory community art project that responds to the silencing of women* by creating and holding space for all women to share experiences through visual storytelling.

Laundry Day Workshops are a call for women to gather together, to listen, to be heard, to feel love and the understanding that resists hate and injustice.

All are welcome and no prior art skills are required.

Connect with the project at www.aotdl.org and IG @womenslaundry before the workshop where you will become a part of the ever-growing collection of more than 400 women’s stories. Women’s signed or anonymous stories are collected and then joined together on laundry clotheslines in ongoing installations in the Baltimore community and beyond.

*Airing Out the “Dirty” Laundry holds space for all women across the intersections of race, age, color, ability, faith, religion, ancestry, national origin, citizenship, social class, economic class, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression.

The first Laundry Days took place in the warm space of Andrea’s family room in Matthews, North Carolina. Since then, Laundry Days have been hosted in homes, kitchens, classrooms, community centers, outdoor spaces, and more recently through virtual meetings. Through partnerships with individuals, community groups, institutions, and organizations Laundry Days have occurred in neighborhoods and communities throughout the country.

The energy of the space changes and reflects the diversity of the women in the room, but each Laundry Day begins with centering community intentions around creating a safe, loving, brave space for all participants.

Artist, Educator, and Creator of Airing Out the “Dirty” Laundry, Andrea Downs will provide art making materials and lead the workshop by creating a brave, supportive, loving, and safe space for all to create pieces of visual storytelling. Participants are invited and encouraged to bring a personal article of clothing or other textile to use as the “base layer” for their story. If you feel any hesitations, Andrea will help you to correct the voice in your head that says your story is not important to share.

Andrea welcomes the opportunity to work collaboratively and in partnership with individuals, groups, organizations, and institutions that are equally passionate about the purpose and mission of Airing Out the “Dirty” Laundry--to hold space for women’s stories.

Please contact Andrea directly to chat about the possibilities. [email protected]

Community Partners:

Ann Turiano and Iron Crow Theatre

Free Fall Baltimore and Baltimore Office of Promotion and The Arts

Charlotte Pride

Charlotte Reproductive Action Network

Charlotte Lit

Charlotte Women's Movement

Guerilla Poets

Charlotte Mecklenburg Library

Independent Artist, Bree Stallings

CLTextile

Epoch Tribe

Project Enough

Trans Day of Remembrance event partners at Time Out Youth

Winthrop University Galleries

Pink Boots Society of North Carolina

UNC Charlotte's Triota WGST Honor Society and Tales from Down There

Girls Rock Charlotte

The Mint Museum Uptown

Wells Fargo

BOOM Festival

Comfest - Community Festival in Columbus, Ohio