It's hard to believe, but even in 2018 the fight for gender equality is still not over. In the shadow of media-effective discourses, equal rights are not yet a social standard, but rather a desired goal. Whether in everyday life or on the job, whether in politics or in cultural life: women are underrepresented, and this is also the case in the music business – it will not fully exploit its possibilities if it does not support female artists. To bring about changes actively, the Reeperbahn Festival 2017 has initiated Keychange in cooperation with PRS Foundation and further international partners. With the Keychange Day on 20 September we want to unravel the cultural knot hampering the potential of female talents in an environment dominated by men. The idea is moving festival organisers worldwide and is intended to spread to other sub-markets of the music industry.

So get ready for a radical programme of Keychange Day which will reflect all the topics ranging from feminism and pop culture, diversity and discrimination – in workshops, discussions, speeches, film performances, concerts and parties on the festival Thursday.   Among others, there will be a workshop on "Feminist self-empowerment & taking up space on the net" with the independent journalist Caren Miesenberger. On the Spiegelzelt stage, Tony Visconti, Linda Perry, Pat Carr and Kinnie Starr will speak about women in music and how future changes can be implemented in the industry. Afterwards there will be the Keychange Party with the female rapper Ebow and "Bubble" curator Yesim Duman.

Away from the Keychange Day, further events on the same topic will take place during the Reeperbahn Festival. The Abaton cinema will show the German premieres of the documentaries "Here To Be Heard – The Story Of The Slits" and "Bad Reputation", while on Friday an "Inspirational Journey To Eeden" will be waiting for you. You can look forward to the concerts of the following Keychange acts:

► Pale Honey Sa, 22 Sept. 18, 9:50 pm, Grüner Jäger
► Milkywhale Sa, 22 Sept. 18, 7:30 pm, Häkken Klubhaus St. Pauli
► BALA Fri, 21 Sept. 18, 10:00 pm, Angie’s Nightclub
► Hoax Sat, 22 Sept. 18, 8:40 pm, Molotow/Karatekeller
► Chagall Thurs, 20 Sept. 18, 6:00 pm, Festival Village/Spiegelzelt