The Mobile Girls Koottam (www.themobilegirlskoottam.com) is a decade long project that began with Madhumita Dutta's doctoral research on the labour geography of workers in a mobile phone factory in Sriperumbudur. Along with Radio Potti, Sam (her interpreter), and Kalpana, Pooja, Abhinaya, Satya, Lakshmi they created a podcast of the same title talking about being a woman in public spaces, work spaces, homes, within ourselves and more. This was later published with a beautiful monograph by Zubaan. When the factory closed, a few of the women got together to write a play. This play directed by Sam PC is now touring around the country implemented by the India Foundation of Arts, Arts Practice Productions Programme, with the support of Sony Pictures Entertainment Fund.

From 29 August to 01 September 2024, at AdiShakti Theatre Arts, Pondicherry, the Mobile Girls are getting along with comrades who met them through this journey to create a residency for women and queer people from varying unorganised sectors like autodrivers, fish workers, beauticians, farmers and more, to create a space where there can be a lateral knowledge exchange and a support circle to ideate and implement artistic interventions in their communities.

While we have some funds to take care of some main costs for this residency and festival, we hope that people in the larger community would be able to see the beauty in crafting a space like this. We hope that you would be able to share some funds and join hands with us to become a Producer of this residency and festival. Whatever you contribute, you are a Producer, a friend, and a comrade. To anyone who can manage to contribute more than 5000, we would be able to send a bag of goodies - with a t-shirt, some stationery, a lot of love, post-residency publications, and more. All producers will be credited on the website and during the festival.

The contributions go towards food, travel, emergency care, festival setups, and promotional materials.