Acknowledgement of Country

This Is Who We Are Festival. 17 – 20 March, ONLINE.

A festival of arts, solidarity and wellbeing by and for women of colour/global majority womxn.

Curated by Melanie Abraham, Renaissance One. See the programme above and book tickets through link.

International Women’s Day March.

Renaissance One has partnered with the University of Melbourne to bring the This Is Who We Are project to Melbourne including two key events to mark International Women’s Day: a March of sisterhood and solidarity on 8 March 2022 and a Social and Masterclass on Writing Desire and Wellbeing on 10 March 2022.

On International Women’s Day, from 5:30pm to 6:30pm, a walk of sisterhood will take place within the city of Melbourne to encourage solidarity amongst women and artists and those who support the values of equity for women and other marginalised groups.

As we walk past significant locations including: Queen Victoria Women’s centre trust, the Nova Peris Statue, the National Gallery of Victoria’s Bark Ladies exhibition, the Yours, Mine and Ours exhibition at the immigration museum, and the Creative Co-operative, we invite attendees to reflect, be inspired and to share in the bonds of sisterhood, in the many ways that women of colour and their allies choose to define them. We will meet at the Pioneer Women’s Memorial in Kings Domain and finish near the University of Melbourne.

Register here https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/march-of-sisterhood-and-solidarity-tiwwa-tickets 289428597727
Two days later on 10 March, ‘Writing Desire and Finding Wellbeing’ will be hosted at the
University with guest author Maame Blue. The acclaimed author will present a creative talk
on the ways that we can craft stories around desire, and how we can find wellbeing for
ourselves and our audiences.The event includes a Q and A with the author, and a book
signing and it is supported by publisher Jacaranda Books.

THIS IS WHO WE ARE FESTIVAL

7 – 20 March 2022 (Online)

An arts festival of solidarity and sisterhood. Curated by Melanie Abrahams.

The full programme will be posted in February 2022 and in the meantime look out for announcements of individual events including Ask Asian Auntie (20 March), a PD session (19 March), talks, film screenings and performances and Wellbeing Gatherings.

REFRAMING THE MARGINS: UK-AUSTRALIA MENTORING PROGRAMME FOR WOMEN OF COLOUR

THIS IS WHO WE ARE (TIWWA) is a UK-Australian movement of intergenerational & intersectional women artists, producers and creatives of colour who are transforming sectors, thinking and spaces. With heritages including African and Caribbean, First Nations, West, South and South East Asian origins, we are amplifying our collective power through arts and cultural events, socials, professional development resources and gatherings which champion the values of social justice, creativity and care. The programme is part of the British Council’s UK-Australia Season 2021 – 2022.

Kath Melbourne and Melanie Abrahams will be mentoring thirty artists, producers and creative professionals from the UK and Australia as part of the programme. Over the years, these women leaders have been ‘meeting on the margins’ to build transformative spaces of freedom to enact their vision for a world powered on the values of social justice and respect.

1 Sep 21. Short film: This is Who We Are: On Sisterhood

21 Sep 21.  A Tribute to Beryl Gilroy / Book Launch of Black Teacher

An exclusive online event commemorating the republication of Beryl Gilroy’s 1976 memoir Black Teacher. Black Teacher recounts Gilroy’s experiences as a young teacher who faced racism in London but forged a revolutionary career as one of Britain’s first Black headteachers. Presented in partnership with Faber & Faber, the evening features readings and discussions of the impact of work with British Academic and former fashion designer Darla Gilroy, Yansé Cooper and poet Hannah Lowe (Chair), with a special performance responding to the book’s themes by playwright John Agard

29 Sep 21/20 Oct 21.  Workshop. Your Life as a Creative Project with Celeste Ramos.

In this workshop, artist Celeste Ramos will guide participants to identify and embrace their capacity to craft and design their life with intentional self-care practices. Celeste will create a safe space leading with curiosity, and exploring with bravery and kindness.

Through deconstructing ideas around self, grounding exercises and self care rituals, the workshop will equip participants with self love practices, a deeper awareness of traits, and tools to unlock the power that comes from being and accepting your truest self.  Suitable for all levels.

Bio

Celeste Ramos is a writer and voice artist from New York City based in London. She actively brings unusual, inspirational perspectives to projects in fiction, poetry, voice, and film analysis.

19 Oct 21. Workshop. We Map Ourselves with Maya Chowdhry.

This participatory workshop with Maya Chowdhry uses counter-mapping techniques to subversively map the spaces we exist in.  Participants will explore how to create an interactive map that uses storytelling and indigenous knowledge, not just geographical data, and which can encompass personal perspectives of place, survival, and belonging. Participants will use creative writing and image making to explore a location of significance to the, for example ‘places of achievement’ or ‘best eateries’, and create story-markers using text, image and video to represent their stories. Suitable for all levels.

Maya Chowdhry is a multidisciplinary artist and writer. She creates immersive and democratic live art experiences for participants, drawing from creating work in Installation, radio, video and poetry.

November: Reframing the Margins

8 Mar 22. ‘Women Walk The World’ on International Women’s Day

For International Womens’ Day 2022 we walk together globally in real and virtual latitudes to celebrate women taking up space in the world day and night – from the coordinates of Australia to the UK. We will step out and walk in real-time in our time zones and converse digitally using photographic imagery to tell our stories, collaborate and locate ourselves.

18 – 20 Mar and 25 – 27 Mar 22  THIS IS WHO WE ARE FESTIVAL

An arts festival of solidarity and sisterhood. Curated by Melanie Abrahams. Programme to be announced in December