Monday 8 March is International Women’s Day, and lots of Manchester’s institutions are celebrating the invaluable contribution of women to our cultural life in events throughout the week. We’ve picked a couple in this guide to the best free things to do at home this week, including 6 new theatre pieces from Royal Exchange Theatre as well as the return of the Centre for Chinese Contemporary Art’s Film Club and much more.
If you’ve never heard of Caroline Shaw, listen to her Partita for Eight Voices immediately. She’s a Pulitzer Prize-winning composer, and one of the most inventive minds working within classical music today. Oh, and she’s also collaborated with Kanye West and Nas. Join Shaw and students from the Royal Northern College of Music for an insight into her music and wide-ranging creative practice.
The Centre for Chinese Contemporary Art returns with a series of four video essays shown through March that examine issues within Chinese culture through an artistic lens. Two premieres overlap this week – Liu Chuang’s piece on the development of Shenzhen passes the baton to Sookoon Ang’s glimpse into the private life of artists on Wednesday.
The folks at Sonder Radio are running two free radio making courses for Manchester residents over 50 from Monday 15 – Friday 26 March. During these courses, you’ll learn new digital skills, develop confidence and eventually broadcast your own live show. All laptops and data is provided – if you know any budding radio DJ’s who are over 50, the Taster Day is on Thursday.
Join Manchester Museum, Anwar Akhtar and the Osch collective for a screening of the documentary trailer for Pakistan’s Best Kept Secret, a new film all about Lahore Museum, followed by a panel-led discussion on themes of diaspora, identity and language. Come along and learn something new, and reconnect digitally with your local community.
In celebration of International Women’s Day, Castlefield Gallery has released a special podcast featuring artist Jocelyn McGregor in conversation with photography curator and editor Mariama Attah. McGregor is a creative specialising in sculpture, installation and animation and is due to launch a brand new solo gallery entitled Mantle at Castlefield Gallery later this year. Tune in to hear the pair discuss art, influences and more.
- Words:
- Hugh Morris
- Published on:
- Mon 8 Mar 2021
To mark International Women’s Day, the Royal Exchange Theatre has commissioned 6 Manchester-based artists to make new pieces premiered through the week on social media, all written under the banner of Oh Woman. These wide-ranging art pieces celebrate women and non-binary pioneers through history, from musicians like SOPHIE through to nurse and campaigner Mary Seacole Including hidden histories and true stories of family inspirations, Oh Women serves as a celebration of truly exceptional women.