Women of Cumbria Project 2017-18
Early in 2017, while running some workshops for Keswick Museum, the curator asked me if I was interested in creating a banner with a few museums as part of the centenary celebrating some women being given the vote in 1918. I suggested partnering with Girlguiding and the Trefoil Guild. Soon we had 11 museums (Armitt, The Beacon Museum, Cumbria Museum of Military Life, Dove Cottage, Keswick Museum & Art Gallery, Museum of Lakeland Life, Penrith & Eden Museum, Ruskin Museum, Senhouse Roman Museum, Tullie House, Wordsworth House) and 4 partners on board (Girlguiding, Cumbria North and South, Trefoil Guild, Soroptomists and WI).
Between September and December of 2017, I liaised with the museums regarding their collections and forthcoming exhibitions for 2018, so I could plan the art workshops. Each Museum had several days activity involving members from the partner organisations. Given the subject, I felt democracy was really important, so ensured participants were given opportunities to choose the banner content and then I worked with them to finalise the design and to teach them painting skills so they could work with me to create the final artwork.
Each Museum now has the original banner, painted in acrylic ink on artist’s canvas, and a full size printed banner for use outside, to promote their exhibitions. These banners were also paraded in Carlisle in October 2018, attended by Helen Pankhurst.
The project, as a whole, has had a very large reach, involving hundreds of girls and women of all ages. They are now much more aware of their local museums and galleries and have learned art skills. It has also raised an awareness of some of the lesser-known Cumbrian women of significance.
Between September and December of 2017, I liaised with the museums regarding their collections and forthcoming exhibitions for 2018, so I could plan the art workshops. Each Museum had several days activity involving members from the partner organisations. Given the subject, I felt democracy was really important, so ensured participants were given opportunities to choose the banner content and then I worked with them to finalise the design and to teach them painting skills so they could work with me to create the final artwork.
Each Museum now has the original banner, painted in acrylic ink on artist’s canvas, and a full size printed banner for use outside, to promote their exhibitions. These banners were also paraded in Carlisle in October 2018, attended by Helen Pankhurst.
The project, as a whole, has had a very large reach, involving hundreds of girls and women of all ages. They are now much more aware of their local museums and galleries and have learned art skills. It has also raised an awareness of some of the lesser-known Cumbrian women of significance.
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