BWC, Brighton Dome and Brighton Museum came together to celebrate International Women’s Day with a packed creative programme including fourteen workshops and talks, eight all-day activities, twenty-three stalls, two panel discussions, a women’s history tour, two performances and two exhibitions.
Despite some nervousness around the Covid-19 outbreak, IWD 2020 was very well attended, with all workshops and activities busy and most full to capacity.
The programme’s theme aimed to celebrate women’s achievement while exploring persisting inequalities under the topical theme of Women and the Climate Emergency. The panel discussion on this theme was chaired by MP Caroline Lucas and featured Dorothy Grace Guererro (Global Justice Now), Kayla Ente (BHESCo), Fran Witt (Fossil Free Sussex) and Lotte Marley (Youth4ClimateStrike).
At the heart of this day there were talks on a variety of feminist causes and campaigns from inspiring speakers and activists including Meeta Johnson who presented a workshop entitled Women of Colour: Our stories, our identities. Psychologist Emmy Brunner gave an inspiring talk entitled Eco-anxiety. How to manage and overcome it. And the founder of Ruby Moon Activewear, shared experiences of Sustainable Fashion and women in business.
BWC Director Lisa Dando chaired a panel discussion on Women and Poverty with economist Vicky Pryce, Fiona Mactaggart (Chair, The Fawcett Society), Diane Elson (Chair of a Gender Equal Economy), Rebecca McDonald (Joseph Rowntree Foundation) and Dani Ahrens (Brighton Unemployed Centre Families Project).
The schedule of talks and workshops throughout the day included Let Mum Speak. A talk about Mothers Uncovered, a project to tackle feelings of isolation and loneliness among new mothers. Moon Tales – an award-winning solo performance from Kate Darach about 12 female characters inspired by the names of the full moons. Soul Circus returned to IWD with an interactive workshop about nature’s power, wise women and song in Power of Trees.
Lively workshops throughout the day included Sing Your Heart Out with Aneesa Chaudhry, a Charleston Dance Class with Brighton Lindyhoppers, a beginners workshop on Morris dancing with Cuckoo’s Nest Women Morris Dancers and a yoga class with Laurie Cooper from Brighton Yoga Foundation.
There was plenty of other activities to get involved with from drop-in crafting, seated Shiatsu for women, drop-in children’s activities and pop-up climate-themed experiments and games with Extinction Rebellion.
Stories and inspiration behind pioneering women of the 21st century were celebrated in 100 First Women Portraits project – a major exhibition by acclaimed photographer Anita Corbin.
You can view our gallery here.