This exhibition explores women’s equality in Birmingham, focusing on the 1980s, featuring work done by the Women’s Unit, including the ‘Worth Paying For’ campaign (1986) by photographer Rhonda Wilson, the Celebrate Festival, and the Women’s Directory. The exhibition includes the creative work of women who challenged stereotypes and celebrated the diverse experiences of Birmingham women. It combines the formal work achieved in the City Council, including the position of women, and women’s activism. It is this legacy which this exhibition recognises. The research project and exhibition invite us to reflect on gender equality now, by considering how past voices, campaigns and activism helps us challenge contemporary inequalities.
The exhibition is curated by Dr Annette Naudin and was developed in partnership with Dr Pedro Cravinho, Keeper of the Archives, Faculty Arts, Design and Media, at BCU. The archival materials presented in the exhibition are part of the Barbara Webster Collection. For more information about ADM Archive and how to access the Barbara Webster Collection, contact the Arts Design and Media Archive ADM-Archives-Requests@bcu.ac.uk . To find out more about the Gender Equality: 40 years on! research project, contact Dr Annette Naudin annette.naudin@bcu.ac.uk.
This research project is funded by the British Academy/Leverhulme Small Grant Scheme.
image – Isabella Hutchings
