Makers Of Change Monthly Craftivism Sessions  for Young People 2020

PLEASE NOTE THAT DUE TO UNFORSEEN CIRCUMSTANCES WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO RUN THE SESSIONS ON  8 FEBRUARY & 14 MARCH. PLEASE CHECK IN WITH US FOR FUTURE DATES… 

Lewes New School, Talbot Terrace, Lewes, East Sussex BN7 2DS

Saturday 23 November, 14 December 2019
11 January, 8 February & 14 March 2020

2.30pm  – 4.30pm

Facilitated by artist Alinah Azadeh and artist-educator Charley Haward

We offer a creative and supportive space for quiet, thoughtful and powerful personal, social or political activism rooted in the act of making things by hand, at a time of great upheaval.
So whether you want to come and sit silently and just make something alongside others, or have an in-depth chat about what’s going on at the moment, or your own activism, this space is for you.
You are welcome to come to all, or some, depending on what works for you.

The group is for people aged 13 – 18 and all events supported by A Woman’s Place Project are trans-inclusive.

Craft materials and refreshments will be provided.

Read more about Craftivism in the UK here: https://craftivist-collective.com/

We look forward to seeing you!

Makers of Change Monthly Craftivism Sessions (women over 18)

Westgate / Tom Paine’s Chapel
92a High Street in Lewes

10.30-12.30

Next session  8 February 2020 with future dates to be confirmed.

This group is for women (or those who identify as) who are over 18.

We offer a creative and supportive space for quiet, thoughtful and powerful personal, social or political activism rooted in the act of making things by hand, at a time of great upheaval.

Based on what we have learnt over the last year and in line with the philosophy of craftivism, the focus of our sessions this year will span the following;

• Thinking together through making, about things that matter to us in our lives or in the world
• Developing confidence in our creative voices
• Finding the courage, ideas and allies to question and change situations which are unjust
• Combining words and materials to craft messages we want to spread
• Talking about and sharing campaigns we want to join or create
• Taking time and space to celebrate triumphs in our lives and the world, however small – or simply to restore, reflect and rest our minds.

So whether you want to come and sit silently and just make something alongside others, or have an in-depth chat about what’s going on at the moment, or your own activism, this space is for you.

No previous making experience is necessary, there is plenty of skill-sharing, its fun and/or contemplative depending on what you are looking for! The session is flexible, so you might use it to take quiet reflective, creative recharging time or to talk about and plan action around a burning issue related to equality, social or environmental justice.

We offer peer support, creative inspiration, a table of materials to use and to take home, plus tea and biscuits….We are opening the group up more widely now and would like it to gently grow, so please do invite friend/s if you know someone who might be interested /inspired to come. This group is for women (or those who identify as) who are over 18.

Craft materials and refreshments will be provided. £3/5/’pay what you can’ donation please.

Read more about Craftivism in the UK here: https://craftivist-collective.com/

All events supported by A Woman’s Place Project are trans-inclusive.

We look forward to seeing you!

Makers Of Change 2019

Depot, Lewes

May 11^th or June 22^nd 2019 (repeated sessions)

“When and where have you experienced gender and other inequalities – at home, school or at play? What is there to celebrate, what is there to change? What are your everyday niggles? Who or what inspires you?”

Presented by artist Alinah Azadeh, this session will explore and discuss what barriers still exist for young women today, 100 years after suffrage, and ways they can be addressed through art and craft practices. It will also give you tools to take away in dealing with specific issues such as sexism in school and beyond.

The workshop will also act as a tour of art and craftivist work inspired by the pioneering, creative campaigns of the Suffragettes and many other, lesser known campaigns nationally and internationally which use individual or collective creativity to speak out and act on social – and other forms – of justice.

Each participant will go home having made a piece of wearable craftivism and the option to sign up for free monthly sessions later in the year. 

Our events are LGBTQIA+ friendly.

Produced by A Woman’s Place Project.

To book a place (free but booking essential) go to:

https://lewesdepot.org/film/makers-of-change

Huge thanks to The Chalk Cliff Trust and Depot, Lewes whose support has made these Makers of Change events possible.

For more info get in touch via our contacts page, or on Facebook/Instagram/Twitter

Instagram: awomansplaceuk / lewes_depot

Twitter: AWomansPlaceUK / LewesDepot

FB: awomansplaceUK / DepotCinema

A Woman’s Place at Knole 

Knole, Sevenoaks, TN15 0RP

July – September 2018

Throughout the duration of the exhibition at Knole, A Woman’s Place organised the many interesting and complimentary events detailed below. ‘Performing the Toilette’ in particular, was a great success!

If you want to learn more about the exhibition itself, head here. Alternatively, head straight to the gallery to check out the amazing photographs.

Walk and Talk with the curators
Saturday 21 July

This was an unmissable opportunity to meet with Lucy Day and Eliza Gluckman, curators of A Woman’s Place, for a walk and talk through Knole’s showrooms and courtyards. This ‘Walk and Talk’ was a unique chance for visitors to discover more about the six contemporary art installations and learn about the artists and the inspiration behind the project. This event was free to attend.

Performing the Toilette
Tuesday 7 August

We were treated to performer Natalie Sharp demonstrating the toilette – the ritual of dressing and preparing for the day – beside Emily Speed’s art installation in the Orangery. Through her maquillage (body make-up) performance, Sharp became a part of the work and environment, melding both architecture and inhabitants into the history of Knole.

This was a real highlight! If you missed it, be sure to click here to watch a short video of the performance.

A Woman’s Place Knole Picnic
Saturday 1 September

A fantastic, fun afternoon with all of us from team A Woman’s Place centred around a family friendly, bring-your-own picnic in the, thankfully sunny, grounds of Knole.

A Woman’s Place panel discussion
Saturday 1 September

Project curators, artists and invited speakers met to discuss the context and ideas behind the artworks in A Woman’s Place at Knole.

Supported through Trust New Art – National Trust’s contemporary arts programme inspired by our place.
image credit: Lindsay Seers, 2052 selves (a biography), 2018. Image courtesy of the artist.

Women & Activism Season

Depot, Lewes, BN7 2JS

25 – 30 August 2018

We were delighted to contribute to the Women & Activism season of films and events sharing feminist stories of revolution.

Making Change: workshop with Alinah Azadeh

Sat 25 August

After the success of April’s Makers of Change workshop, Alinah Azadeh went on to run two more as part of Women & Activism, continuing the exploration of womanhood and feminism through craftivism (crafting in the service of social, political or environmental change).

These were hands-on, creative workshops that explored and celebrated the use of art and craft in the struggle for social and political change.

Inspired by the pioneering, creative campaigns of the Suffragettes, as well as current feminist and other equality campaigns globally, participants were taken on a visual ride through history and invited to reflect on and share what matters to them in the current climate, channelling this into small-scale piece of craftivism to take home.

A Woman’s Place is supporting of a series of monthly Makers of Changes events in Lewes throughout 2019. If you are interested in participating, you can join the facebook group here, or you can contact us directly.

The Girls

Tues 28 August

Dr Helen Eastman introduced The Girls by Mia Zetterling and screened her short film Lysistrata, After Aristophanes (10 mins), along with Hairpiece: A Film for Nappy Headed People (8 min) by Ayoka Chenzira.

One Day with Alinah Azadeh, produced by Quiet Down There: Workshops and activities

Supported through A Woman’s Place, Quiet Down There and artist Alinah Azadeh organised three One Day retreats in Kent during April 2018 with the intention of supporting women – and those identifying as women – to explore and build emotional strength and resilience, creativity and self-care.

One Day was a programme of three day-long free events for 12 women in Gravesend, Kent centred on a toolkit devised by the artist using creative materials, playful discussion, creative writing and shared reflection to explore a ‘sense of place’. Each one took the format of a ‘day retreat’, providing a supportive space, food and a small subsidies for travel and/or childcare. The retreat offered participants a full day to focus on themselves, their place in their family, community or workplace, and a chance to work creatively on new or existing projects with others in a safe space.

Quiet Down There work with the galleries, venues, high streets and local authorities to produce relevant, meaningful and accessible work across artforms. They have worked with artists and communities across the southeast and London on projects funded and commissioned by organisations such as Brighton Festival, Camden Council, Arts Council and Lighthouse.

Alinah Azadeh is an artist, writer and performer, using textile, interaction and storytelling to open up fresh ways of reflecting on our social and cultural identities. She is interested in interdisciplinary ways of working that enable creative, social and political agency in others. Over the last two decades, her public artworks have invited thousands of people to take part in installations and live works on subjects ranging from grief, loss and debt to gender equality and migration. Commissions include The Gifts (2010, Bristol Museum), Westminster Hall (Magna Carta Anniversaries Banners, 2015), Hull City of Culture (Revolutionary Makers, WOW Festival, 2017) and Burning the Books (2011-15).  She is Associate Research Fellow at the Birkbeck Centre for Contemporary Theatre and the RSA.

www.alinahazadeh.com

Image courtesy of Alinah Azadeh.

Makers Of Change

Saturday 21st April

The Depot, Lewes

“When and where have you experienced gender equality – and gender inequality – at home, school or at play? What is there to celebrate, what is there to change? What are your everyday niggles? Who or what inspires you?”

What do you care about deeply or want to protect or defend – on a personal, social, political or global level? ‘

These were some of the questions discussed by participants at our Makers of Change event, held at the Depot funded through the Women’s Vote Centenary Grant Scheme.

Artist Alinah Azadeh, presented the session which acted as an introduction to handmade work through craftivism (crafting in the service of social, political or environmental change). Inspired by the pioneering, creative campaigns of the Suffragettes, as well as making connections to current campaigns by women globally, each person created small-scale pieces of craftivism to take away.

Participants to both of the free workshops were sourced through peer connectors with the ambition to encourage women who may not usually attend an event like this to come along and take part. A morning session was held for mothers of school age children and the afternoon session involved fifteen 14–16 year-old young women from Lewes and surrounding areas.

As a result several women plan to form a regular monthly group , and the young women plan to tackle sexism and misogyny at school.

It has inspired me to make smaller/quicker changes to make a big impact…

I will probably go home and stick endless Beyoncé quotes into my clothes.

Being able to speak freely with other girls felt special.

It has shown me that here are places where people (like me) can talk.

Hearing from each other’s experiences in a group was a positive and thought-provoking experience. 

I was surprised that such a small item (badge/stitching) could make such a difference.

Looking Further, Looking Harder

The first in a series of discussions around collecting; Women of Colour

Thursday 23^rd November 2017

Murray Edwards College, University of Cambridge

In collaboration with  New Hall Arts Collection Looking Further, Looking Harder was a round table discussion of invited attendees. As the New Hall Art Collection was working towards Accreditation status this discussion was aimed at generating conversation around areas of collecting; specifically the issues that arise both from the historical growth of a collection to the responsibility of representation going forward.

A small group of invited guests (25) met at Murray Edwards College for a discussion about the New Hall Art Collection and representation of BAME artists, specifically women of colour (WOC), in Collections.

All in attendance were looking at the Collection from different perspectives – students, alumna, artists, curators – and were asking what it means to address, and how to constructively address, representation, or lack of it, in Collections.  Collectively, their aim was to interrogate the language and current dialogues.

New Hall Art Collection at Murray Edwards College, University of Cambridge.

The New Hall Art Collection is the largest collection of works by women in Europe.  The Collection is housed within Murray Edwards College, University of Cambridge and began in 1986 with the acquisition of a work by Mary Kelly.  Historically women artists have been excluded from academic research, art historical books and institutional museum programming; an issue currently on the agenda of most international art institutions. With over 500 works, a third on public display, the New Hall Art Collection has an emphasis on modern and contemporary art.

In Conversation with Erika Tan and Dr. Lara Perry, University of Brighton

Brighton Museum, Brighton, East Sussex. BN1 1E

Thursday 16th November 2017

We joined artist Erika Tan and Dr Lara Perry of Brighton University School of Humanities, to discuss Tan’s series of films focussing on the minor historic figure of Halimah binti Abdullah (an expert weaver who participated in the 1924 Empire Exhibition (London)). Halimah, along with 19 other Malayans, lived and worked in the Malayan Pavilion. By day they were demonstrating their crafts and selling souvenirs at the exhibition; by night living behind the displays in an ex-army hut. In the same year that she came to London, she contracted pneumonia and died, aged 60. She was buried in Brookwood Cemetery in Woking and given a muslim burial. Tan’s project is interested in trying to resurrect her story as a way of approaching questions around colonial exhibition tropes, ideas of cultural ambassadors or martyrs, the parameters of a developing the ‘Singapore art canon’, and the difficulties of retracing the forgotten in an ever incomplete archive.
Both share a keen interest in issues of the unrecorded, or unevidenced life and events. Tan shared with us some of her processes, research and final works, stimulating an interesting discourse with Dr Lara Perry and members of the audience.

Images credit: Detail of installation: The ‘Forgotten’ Weaver, Erika Tan, Diaspora Pavilion, Venice 2017.

Image © 2017 Anthony Lam

Rachael House’s Feminist Disco

The University of Sussex in partnership with Gender Studies and Centre for Life History and Life Writing Research Centres

Friday 10th November 2017

The University of Sussex, BN1 9RH

Rachael House’s Feminist Disco- putting the ‘disco’ into ‘discourse’ 

This was the most unforgettable feminist art project; a feminist art project that we could dance to! Also held in the most perfect venue – The University of Sussex – a place of learning with a radical history of protest and disruption.

This was an art project calling itself a disco. Rachael House played records, made between approximately 1976-1983, on two dansette record players of bands featuring women Rachael decides are feminist. These records hark back to turbulent years during the so-called second wave of feminism, punk and post punk, The Grunwick Strike, Thatcher Government, Spare Rib, Rock Against Racism and The National Front. Rachael House’s Feminist Disco didn’t wallow in nostalgia however, but instead prompted all of us who attended to look back on this time as one might peek under a plaster. Is it healed yet? Is there shiny new skin? Pressing tender spots to check if they still hurt. Do we still have the same problems, or has someone smashed the glass ceiling? Are the arguments that made schisms between so called second wave feminists any closer to being resolved? These were the questions on all our minds.

The disco/discourse included the academic, the historic and up to the minute. Providing discourse on this occasion we welcomed Dr. Nicola Streeten and Professor Lucy Robinson. Lucy’s powerpoint presentation covered what fan girls have taught her about feminism and comic artist/writer Nicola wrestled with how and why as a feminist she laughs at things that shouldn’t be funny and doesn’t laugh at things that should.

Traditional feminist party games such as Pin the tie on Patti Smith were played, the Typical Girls- A feminist gallery was expanded with the audiences contributions, and we even ate a feminist boiled sweet or two.

To bring the feminist politics bang up to date a raffle was held in aid of a local grassroots feminist organisation, Sisters Uncut. Fittingly feminist raffle prizes were all made by Rachael House.

Images credit: Rachael House, Feminist Disco

All images courtesy of Rachael House. Photographer: Jo David

Celebration of Elizabeth Carter

Saturday 9th & Sunday 10th September 2017

Deal Town Hall, High St, Deal CT14 6TR

To commemorate the 300th anniversary of Deal born poet and member of The Bluestocking Society, Elizabeth Carter, this event was a celebration of her vitality and relationship to the town by artist Colin Priest.

Stirred by the unexpected acquisition of the memoirs of the life of Mrs Elizabeth Carter with poems by Rev. Montagu Pennington, and curiously typed 19th century letters from her relatives regarding her portrait in Deal Town Hall, Priest presented an atmospheric site-specific tableau of found material, film and texts in the Town Hall Chamber.

The English term “bluestocking” evolved in the mid-to-late 1700s.  Elizabeth Carter wrote of the society: “As if the two sexes had been in a state of war, the gentlemen ranged themselves on one side of the room, where they talked their own talk, and left us poor ladies to twirl our shuttles, and amuse each other, by conversing as we could. By what little I could overhear, our opposites were discoursing on the old English poets, and this subject did not seem so much beyond a female capacity but that we might have been indulged with a share of it.” Priest had also worked with pupils from Goodwin Academy, Deal, Kent on an Onomatopoeia Workshop. Each student was given a character from the WORKBOX to recreate the image and sound of the sea using ink and parchment. Completed drawings were then transformed into a stop motion animation which was screened at the event.

Colin Priest is a London-based artist, architect and educator at Chelsea College of Arts, University of the Arts, London his mixed-media site-specific works combine intervention, sculpture, writing, moving image and performance, with an ambition to construct site specific encounters engaging heritage narratives.

Images credit : Elizabeth Carter (16 December 1717 – 19 February 1806) by Joseph Highmore (1692–1780) Photo credit Deal Town Council

All images courtesy of artist, Colin Priest

Overlap : Relationships, reputation and legacy of women artists

Saturday 3rd June 2017 11.30 – 12.30

Jerwood Gallery, Hastings, TN34 3DW

Day+Gluckman, artist Jessica Voorsanger and Tate Curator and art historian Carol Jacobi gathered together at the Jerwood Gallery to discuss the complex relationship of a woman artist to her personal biography. The panel, and audience, were treated to an honest and frank conversation about the legacy of women artists and how their art is often overlooked in favour of their relationships to male artists.

Jessica Voorsanger’s art practice looks at the construct of self, often through humorous installations or performances which unpick popular and celebrity culture. Voorsanger has exhibited extensively internationally, and is married to Patrick Brill (AKA the artist Bob+Roberta Smith).

Carol Jacobi is Curator of British Art 1850–1915 at Tate. Her research is centred on nineteenth- and twentieth-century British painting, sculpture and photography. She has backgrounds in science and literature, preferring an interdisciplinary approach, and has a long term commitment to challenging the canon and investigating the legacy of overlooked women artists.

Image credit: Jessica Voorsanger, Claude Monet (from the Bald Series) 2013, shown in Liberties 2015 and 2016. Photo credit: Steve Tanner.

Unpicking the narrative: Difficult women, Difficult work

Thursday 27th April 2017 11 – 5

Turner Contemporary, Margate, Kent CT9 1HG

Day+Gluckman in conversation with Freddie Robins for The Matter of Material symposium, hosted by Turner Contemporary in collaboration with the International Textile Research Centre University for the Creative Arts.

Using examples of her work and exhibition profile this conversation considered how Freddie Robins’ career and practice had developed as an artist working with textiles and whether or not she consciously considered it to have a feminist voice; whether gender still has a pivotal role in how textiles are read and how Freddie’s work continues to contribute to that still ongoing debate. The conversation discussed how textiles have been curated into exhibitions, for example FABRIC (2014) and Entangled (2017), and examined curatorial hierarchies and whether there is a perceived or actual fear in displaying objects that don’t hold their shape. Also featured were discussions on the propensity of echo chambers in the art world and beyond (are we only talking to each other?), how artists and curators identify their audiences, and whether a gendered snobbery about the ‘right type’ of audience exists.

If you are keen to know more, the journal has been published online here for your reading pleasure.