Karen Fleming, from DOK Artist Space, tells us why she decided to offer an art workshop based on the womens emancipation movement.
Karen says
“It is purely coincidental that I had been reading about The Edinburgh Ladies Emancipation Society when this years AWF was being discussed. I realised this would be the perfect opportunity and the perfect platform to bring this audacious society to the attention of other women. Today as women we can pick and choose an audacious act to follow but its hard for many of us to imagine how these women had to fight for the most basic of human rights.
“As an artist I wanted to run a workshop that would suit all abilities, that would be fun and expressive. This is why I decided on placard making which comfortably links in with the emancipation society and the demonstrations they would have been involved in at the time. This will be a light hearted workshop and what is on the placard is entirely up to the participants. It can support their own cause, be a slogan or just a fun comment…be audacious!!!
“I am also delighted that Katie Hunter who is a history teacher and member of Damn’d Rebel Bitches will be delivering a short talk on these remarkable women at the start of the workshop. These women broke down barriers and built up confidence to challenge other social and political inequalities, not least female suffrage”.