Women and Taiko

Increasing the Visibility of Women in the Art Form

Visit the full site at www.womenandtaiko.org

Mentoring

The power of mentoring lies in how it enables individuals to find their way by connecting with others. Studies have shown that mentoring programs are often a key way for future leaders to begin to think of themselves as such, while building relationships with others. While many of us in the taiko community rightly celebrate taiko as an art form practiced by a majority of women, gender inequities exist in ways that might not be obvious. The mentoring program provides a support system that addresses gender inequities in the taiko community and in our culture at large. Topics might include, but are not limited to, guidance in group leadership, pedagogy, conflict management, maintaining a professional performing career, and more. Mentors will offer personalized guidance from a gendered perspective.

Stay Connected Calls

Conference video calls which started as a way for participants of the Women and Taiko Summer Taiko Institute to keep in touch and stay connected. Individuals from North America and Europe convened in San Diego for a few days before the North American Taiko Conference in 2017 to talk about issues pertaining to women in the taiko art form. 

Visibility Campaign

How have women shaped taiko in North America? This campaign offers a broad look at individual women who lead the way, as musicians, teachers, costume designers, composers, childcare organizers, treasurers, and much more. We aim to make visible the many ways that women shape the entire range of activities in the taiko community.

Workshop Leaders Resource List

Have you ever wished you could invite a brilliant, creative, and experienced woman to lead a taiko workshop? We have too, so we compiled a list of women who have led workshops or discussions at prominent taiko gatherings and created a spreadsheet of outstanding women with expertise in a broad range of areas. We believe there is a real need for this list. It is meant to educate and to inspire, and to help all of us in the taiko community think about skills, knowledge, and leadership in a broader way.