International Women’s Day (IWD) is held annually on 8 March – an opportunity to celebrate women’s achievements and contributions, locally and globally. CW has compiled a list of what’s happening about town in the lead up to and on the day itself to help you make the most of IWD 2020.
Wikipedia Edit-A-Thon
At the National Gallery of Australia on IWD, learn how to create new Wikipedia pages about Australian women artists.
Join Wikimedia Australia’s Caddie Brain and the Gallery’s Research Library staff for an interactive four-hour workshop in which you will learn to edit and make new entries to Wikipedia, including how to create a new page on a selected Australian woman artist.
The workshop will include research resources and access to the Gallery’s specialist art library. No experience required, basic computer skills recommended and BYO laptop encouraged. Extra computers will be available on request.
8 March 12.30-4.30pm at the Gallery; bookings essential via nga.gov.au
Kim Yang, a local folk singer-songwriter, is part of the line-up for the IWD concert at Polish White Eagle Club, Turner, 8 March 12-5pm. Corinna and Dylan Photography.
IWD concert at the Polo
Families are welcome to the Polish White Eagle Club (Polo) on IWD to celebrate women, equality and inclusivity with music, crafts and storytelling.
The event features a diverse line-up of six Canberran female original acts, including: Dorothy-Jane, a Canberra-based Australian singer, songwriter and blues-harp player who will perform with guitarist Milena Cifali; Kim Yang, a Canberran folk singer-songwriter proud of her Taiwanese heritage; Lisa Maps, a uniquely engaging performer with a voice once described as “too big for the pub”; Lucy Ridge and the Derby Widows, a high energy soul band; Tennessine, think pretty, trippy vocals and harmonies, electric and acoustic guitars, bass and magnificent violin playing; and Sistas in Song, First Nations vocalists Monica Moore and Belle Whyte join together to create a soulful musical union.
8 March 12-5pm, Polish White Eagle Club, Turner; trybooking.com/BIHUN
Rock your socks off
The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA) will be supporting IWD with empowering music and a movie fundraiser.
They’ve teamed up with Girls Rock!, an international network of independent arts and feminist social justice groups, with a focus on running band camps that provide girls, trans and gender non-conforming youths a supportive safe space to grow and express themselves via music.
It all starts with a special session of their monthly Vinyl Lounge on 6 March from 5.30pm. Bring along your most beloved vinyl by female, trans or gender diverse artists, or have a look through their collection and pick a favourite track to play.
On 8 March 4pm, catch a screening of the 2019 documentary No Time for Quiet, with all ticket sales going towards the Girls Rock! 2020 camp
More info: nfsa.gov.au
Loud and Luminous
Hundreds of female photographers will converge on the Capital for the Canberra Day long weekend for a series of events promoting equality and inclusion in the arts.
The Loud and Luminous project celebrates and recognises the important contributions of contemporary women photographers in Australia.
This year’s theme is equality, echoing the UN sustainable development goals of gender equality.
The Canberra symposium is on 6 March at Harmonie German Club, Narrabundah; loudandluminous.com.au
Matriarch debuts at Smith’s
A new Canberra band, Matriarch, will make their debut at Smith’s Alternative this IWD.
Matriarch is an all-girl grunge band with a twist – they are “four women on the wrong side of 50 who should know better than to be hanging out in bars and playing loud music”. But alas!
Headed by Ana Key on vocals with Glenda Harvey on guitar, Lee Grunwald on bass and Leanne Thompson on drums, they play a unique blend of original grunge laments about living with regrets, ageing badly, motherhood, love and human angst. Their music combines solid bass, driving drums, screaming surf punk guitar, wailing vocals and complex lyrics.
8 March 7pm at Smith’s Alternative, Civic; smithsalternative.com
Southside Women’s Day
On Sunday 8 March, Diversity ACT will host Southside Women’s Day (10am-3pm) and formally launch the Southside Women’s Group (3-4pm) at the Diversity ACT Community Hub in Kambah.
“Southside Women’s Day will be a fun day of networking, relaxing and enjoying the community of other same-sex-attracted women in a low-pressure social environment, said Liz Stephens, founder, Southside Women.
The program includes a range of activities, all of which will be accessible to people with limited mobility. Some of the activities will be physical, including a yoga session and making handmade pasta. Other activities will be less physical with workshops and guest speakers covering health and wellbeing topics.
There will be multiple food opportunities, and special dietary needs can be catered for. Participants are encouraged to wear comfortable clothes if they intend to participate in the physical activities.
More info: visit diversityact.org.au or the Southside Women’s Day event on Facebook.
UN Women lunch
UN Women Australia is celebrating IWD 2020 with the global theme ‘Generation Equality’ – a call to action to join forces across generations, to create a new vision where every girl and woman everywhere has equal opportunities to lead, to learn, to earn a decent living and to live a life free from violence and discrimination.
UN Women Australia’s events are being held across Australia. In Canberra, SBS sports presenter and former ACT resident, Lucy Zelić, will emcee the UN Women lunch today, 5 March.
More info: unwomen.org.au
