One hundred years and what have we got?

Hastings Women’s Voice is very pleased to announce the September program of free events taking place at Hastings Arts Forum. Continuing with their celebrations of 100 years since women won the vote, they take a look at what has been achieved in that time. Rossana Leal writes. 

The various events, workshops and meetings are taking place around one major exhibition in which women artists have been asked to reflect on this question.

All events are free, but please book to avoid disappointment.

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One Hundred Years and What Have We Got? The exhibition.

Date: Tuesday 4 – Sunday 16 September
Open evening: Friday 7 September, 6.30 – 8.30pm

This show takes a realistic and critical look at the situation of women today, since the momentous, hard-won vote of 100 years ago.

The artists, 18 to 80 and from all over the country, have come together to produce work that reflects their own ideas of what that situation is now, through a variety of media – posters, paintings, prints, constructions and sculptures.

Alongside this work, Hastings Women’s Voice is organising films, talks, debates and entertainments to give you the opportunity to share this acknowledgement of an important centenary.

Live acoustic performance by Sam Brown:
Samantha Brown has been playing the violin since she was six years old. Sam is classically trained with the East Sussex Music Service. Sam will keep us company as we enjoy the private view and exhibition.

Wild Moon Rising: Stories of Rebel Girls and Fearless Women    

Wednesday 5 September, 7 – 9pm

A story telling performance by Ariane Hadjilias. An evening of stories of the daring deeds, passion, joy and quiet wisdom and of the pain and wonder of being Woman. Ariane breathes new life into the age-old art of traditional storytelling with a direct, fresh and vibrant approach. She weaves together a physical and embodied style, flute, percussion and a mischievous passion into a storytelling style that is unique and enthused with a fearless love of life and its mysteries.

Arpilleras Tapestries

Saturday 8 September 2018, 12:30 – 5pm

Join Bella Lane and make your own Hastings Tapestry Arpillera. Learn step by step to plan, design and embroider your personal art work using and applying Latin America’s indigenous embroidery stitches, techniques and colours for the decor and beauty of your Apillera Tapestry. The class is directed to everyone who would like to explore embroidery and needlework as an art language of expression.

Bring your own photos, ideas, art works no bigger than A4. Pencil, notebook and paper scissors, stitching glasses if needed – and plenty of good energy.

Witch Zine-making Workshop

Sunday 9 September. Two sessions: 11am – 1pm and 2 – 4pm

A thoroughly creative session with HOT’s very own Erica Smith. Women and girls of all ages are invited to come and make a zine. Bring your ideas with you! “We can sit around a table and draw and write and talk and make.” The subject is WITCHES – and you can interpret this how you want: wise women, wicked women, magic women… women who are demonised by society, women who choose to live outside the constraints put on them by society/patriarchy.

You can write a poem, a short story or draw or collage or make a comic strip.
You can write a spell or a recipe for something to cook up in a cauldron.
You can vent your frustrations and make your wishes for a better tomorrow.

If we work fast, says Erica, we can make up an A6 zine (postcard-sized) as we go for you to take away with you. (13 people maximum,)

Police Spies Out of Lives

Thursday 13 September, 7 – 9pm

“Institutional Sexism and its role in the Undercover Policing scandal” with a speaker from ‘Police Spies Out Of Lives’ (PSOOL).

Come and find out about a campaigning support group for legal actions by people deceived into long-term intimate relationships with undercover police officers.

Police Spies Out Of Our Lives was set up by women who discovered that they’d been deceived into intimate relationships with undercover police officers, who were infiltrating environmental and social justice campaign groups. (UK). They are still fighting for truth and justice – and to ensure this kind of abuse does not happen to other women in future. Their experiences illustrate the institutional sexism of the police forces involved, and the lengths these political policing units were prepared to go to.

#spycops

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