The ffiles (fka XX Files) is an intersectional feminist media collective grounded in community radio. Through innovative programming, the collective produces work that explores our current technological landscape in the broadest sense. Their work reflects an interest in themes that center around but are not limited to transmission practices, sound healing, electronic music discourse, noise, techno-feminisms, the voice, and much more.
The collective hosts a weekly radio show on CKUT 90.3 FM every Wednesday at 11:30 AM EST, as well as a monthly show on Montreal’s N10.AS. They also program and present live audio-visual performances, artist talks, pirate radio installations and DJ sets.
The ffiles is committed to validating and disseminating the voices and work of artists who face systemic barriers as a result of their race, sexuality, gender, lifestyle, class, ability. Through their programming, the collective seeks to create space for marginalized artists within the local scene, while mindfully trying to resist processes of tokenization and commodification in their efforts to participate in and contribute to anti-oppressive community networks.
Started by Deborah VanSlet and Kathy Kennedy, The ffiles first aired in 1996. In 1997, Valérie d. Walker joined the show that she will fuel for over 16 years along with co-hosts Anita Cotic, Bérengère Marin-Dubuard. In 2010, she welcomed Britt Wray. In 2011, the co-hosts Maia Iotzova and Maya Richman, and in 2014, Stéphanie Dufresne, aka Fanie de la Fresne, Amanda-É. Clément and Nnedimma Nnebe, aka The Urban Dweller.
The current team is composed of Julia Dyck, Amanda Harvey, Miranda Jones, Sophy Merizzi and Sophie Marisol. To learn more about the history of the ffiles, listen here.
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Recording of Steve Wozniak (the Woz) at Concordia’s E-Summit, asking “what it was like” to be stimulated by the world around you. Interview with Coco Riot, speaking about the project CRAC in Québec and their monograph launch.
’09 fun facts. Discussion on what is Matricule and how the radio show is being added into it. Affective interfaces talk with Heidi Tikka from the 2000 Saidye Bronfman Art Museum exhibition.
Labor Day art events in Montreal.
Len Dobbin’s Memorial Service at L’Astral, with Lodi Carr, André White, Simon DeLege, Dorothee Berryman, André Menard (Festival International de Jazz de Montreal).
Ckut Music collective sound art piece over summer vacations.
Women in Radio conference, talk by Audrey Redman radio producer in Toronto, who came to Community and Public radio conference in Montreal.
Part one of Studio XX’s International Women’s Day, March 8, 2009, event at CinéRobothèque, featuring Women Behind the Camera by Alexis Krasilovsky, a panel discussion on what problems women face as women filmmakers in the past and today.
Digital Ludology speaker Cindy Poremba defines the terms in digital and electronic games, describes the context of playing games, art games and off video tape. Talk is cut short by the next CKUT program.
Digital Ludology speaker Cindy Poremba on TAG (technoculture art and gaming).
Interview with interdisciplinary MFA graduate Jessica Field from Concordia University on her exhibition on interactive, “intelligent” robots and hand-made books at Oboro.
As part of Studio XX’s Wired Women Salon in May, artist Helena Martina Franco discussed her Studio XX presented Internet and real-world performative pieces. Interview in French and English, the Biennale of Montreal, TAG (technoculture art and gaming) group at Concordia University.
Flashback to Canadian Black History Month stamps: A.D. Shad, Rosemary Brown, PhD, 1st black woman in Canada elected to provincial Legislature (NDP), Artists Run Center 20 year plus cheer, Oboro’s 25th anniversary, Trolley-Bus, Planting of a Chestnut Tree and the Biennale in Montreal.
Earth Day topics including Pacific Ocean garbage gyre. Interview with Marije Baalmaan, Dutch sound artist, PhD in Physics, Post-Doc researcher at Concordia University in wireless networks in sound performance, SuperCollider book contributor, specialization of sound environments, SuperCollider soundscapes art, promo for SuperCollider workshops at Studio XX and her talk on wave-field synthesis and electro-acoustic music.
Interview with Tamar Tembeck, talking about performative autopathology, the self-representation of physical illness in art, and the Interdisciplinary PhD in Art History and Communication Studies at McGill.