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It's called the Women & Creativity Celebration, but men shouldn't be put off.

"All the events are for men, too, especially men who love women," says Shelle Luaces, education director for the National Hispanic Cultural Center and force behind Women & Creativity.

The festival is an 11-day series of events through March 11 promoting the creative work of Albuquerque-area women. Organized by the cultural center in collaboration with 26 partners it features - at venues citywide - art workshops, dance classes, performances, exhibit openings and lectures, and panel discussions on topics such as community action, wellness and life after age 50.

"We want to honor, celebrate and explore our creativity," Luaces says. "We don't want to box creativity into just visual arts and writing. We want to look at how we integrate creativity into our lives, into social action, how we take care of ourselves. Women view creativity as a vital force."

The festival began last year over a weekend, and has doubled in size in number of events and partners.

The partners - who contribute space and events, and pitch in on advertising and promotion - are mainly arts organizations and woman-owned businesses including 516 Arts, the Harwood Art Center, Bookworks, Explora, UNM Women's Resource Center, Viola & Co., Yoga Now and La Monta¤ita Co-op.

Luaces calls it "a convergence of power."

"This festival is about organizations coming together to make really cool things happen in the community," Luaces says. "It makes for a really great overall program."

Women & Creativity is held in conjunction with International Women's Day on Thursday and Women's History Month in March.

Maria Elena Alvarez, publisher of Prime Time Monthly News, another partner, says the growth of the festival in just a year is "a testament to the high caliber of creative and entrepreneurial women in the city."

"I think it will get better and better every year," she says.

• • • • • • • • • • • •

Here are highlights of the 2nd Annual Women & Creativity Celebration Series presented by the National Hispanic Cultural Center in Albuquerque.

For the full program, go to Hispanic Cultural Center.

Tonight

"Women Centerstage and WOW Poetry Finals." Lisa Gill, Esther Griego, Demetria Martinez and Valerie Martinez. 7 and 8:30 p.m. National Hispanic Cultural Center. $8.

Saturday

Children's book reading and signing with Alma Flor Ida and Isabel Campoy. 11 a.m. Bookworks. Free.

"Georgia O'Keeffe: Life and Work in New Mexico." 1-3:15 p.m. Explora Science Center. Free with admission.

"Broken Walls: Meditations on Place with Margaret Randall." 2 p.m. National Hispanic Cultural Center. Free.

Sunday

Tardeadas de Baile: free dance classes. 1-5 p.m. National Hispanic Cultural Center. Free.

Tuesday

Viewing of "Mujeres Valerosas," a documentary book about extraordinary, contemporary women who are members of the New Mexico Hispanic Women's Council. 10 a.m. National Hispanic Cultural Center. Free. Call 246-2261 ext. 112 to RSVP.

Book reading and signing with Rita Mae Brown. 7 p.m. Bookworks. Free.

Wednesday

Beginning African dance. 5:30-7 p.m. Maple Street Dance Space. $10.

"Lifestyle Feng Shui for Creativity and Prosperity." 7:30 p.m. The Grove Cafe & Market. Free.

"Perspectives in Women's Wellness." 6:30-8 p.m.. New Heart Center for Wellness. Free.

Thursday

International Women's Day luncheon with Cecilia Fire Thunder. 12-1:30 p.m. Student Union Building, University of New Mexico. $8 student, $18 general.

"Fifth Life Salon." A conversation with women who reinvent themselves personally and professionally: Dorie Bunting, Jo Ella Redmon, Cecilia Portal, Helen Wertheim and Debbie Johnson. 5:30-7:30 p.m. National Hispanic Cultural Center. Free.

March 9

"Find Your Unique Style." 5-8 p.m. Viola and Co. Free.

Opening reception: The Birds and the Bees by Sarah Hartshorne. 5-8:30 p.m. Harwood Art Center. Free.

March 10

Tardeadas de Baile: free dance classes. 1-5 p.m. National Hispanic Cultural Center.

Gallery talk: "Eye to I: Self-Portraits by Women Artists." 2 p.m. 516 Arts. Free.

March 11

"Mujeres Valientes: A Musical Journey." Leila Flores Due¤as, Carol Vigil and Company of Albuquerque, present corridos and other songs about women who have made history in the Southwest borderlands. 2 p.m. National Hispanic Cultural Center. $5-$25.

"Marilyn Stablein: Five Decades of Collage Journals." 3 p.m. Acequia Booksellers. Free.