Islington Council celebrates International Women’s Day 2016
In honour of International Women’s Day, Islington women gathered in the Assembly Hall yesterday for ‘Dispensing Wisdom’, an event organised in partnership with All Change. All Change is a community arts organisation that brings together artists and communities to develop projects which effect positive change for individuals and communities.
The event launched the publication ‘The Dispensary’, created by local young women, which showcases work from the ‘Dispensing Wisdom’ arts and heritage project, supported with a grant from The National Lottery through the Heritage Lottery Fund.
Inspired by the history of healthcare and families at Manor Gardens Centre in Islington, the project explored women’s health and wellbeing across generations and across communities in Islington. The publication includes testimonies, poems and artwork.
At the event women heard inspiring speeches and thought-provoking poetry, listened to each other’s stories and experiences, and participated in collaborative, creative workshops, run by artists. The pieces produced through the workshop will be displayed at Islington Museum.
Suzanne Lee, artistic director of All Change, said: “Local young women involved in the Dispensing Wisdom project have had an extraordinary experience over the past two years learning about the stories and experiences of women in Islington over the past 100 years, through the collections of some of Islington’s heritage treasures like Islington Museum and Manor Gardens Centre – and through talking to older women in the community.
International Women’s Day provides a fantastic opportunity to share and celebrate their achievements.”
Cllr Asima Shaikh, Islington Council’s executive member for economic and community development, said: “The event with All Change has been a wonderful opportunity to recognise the progress and successes that women have fought for in Islington.
"We are proud of the diversity of our borough and it has been wonderful that all corners of society have been represented here so that we can hear voices and stories that are often ignored.”
An exhibition of photography from the project is now on display in Islington Town Hall's reception area.
The event launched the publication ‘The Dispensary’, created by local young women, which showcases work from the ‘Dispensing Wisdom’ arts and heritage project, supported with a grant from The National Lottery through the Heritage Lottery Fund.
Inspired by the history of healthcare and families at Manor Gardens Centre in Islington, the project explored women’s health and wellbeing across generations and across communities in Islington. The publication includes testimonies, poems and artwork.
At the event women heard inspiring speeches and thought-provoking poetry, listened to each other’s stories and experiences, and participated in collaborative, creative workshops, run by artists. The pieces produced through the workshop will be displayed at Islington Museum.
Suzanne Lee, artistic director of All Change, said: “Local young women involved in the Dispensing Wisdom project have had an extraordinary experience over the past two years learning about the stories and experiences of women in Islington over the past 100 years, through the collections of some of Islington’s heritage treasures like Islington Museum and Manor Gardens Centre – and through talking to older women in the community.
International Women’s Day provides a fantastic opportunity to share and celebrate their achievements.”
Cllr Asima Shaikh, Islington Council’s executive member for economic and community development, said: “The event with All Change has been a wonderful opportunity to recognise the progress and successes that women have fought for in Islington.
"We are proud of the diversity of our borough and it has been wonderful that all corners of society have been represented here so that we can hear voices and stories that are often ignored.”
An exhibition of photography from the project is now on display in Islington Town Hall's reception area.
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