Each year on 8 March International Women’s Day is celebrated across the world, putting a spotlight on the social, economic, cultural & political achievements of women.
Music is for everyone. We work to offer a diverse programme of shows, showcasing performers and musicians from across the world and create broad and inclusive community and education programmes, ensuring music is at the heart of our city.
This International Women’s Day we’re sharing a few ways we celebrate and support women in all their diversities – this year with some brand new learning resources, as well as news of upcoming gigs celebrating female musicians and upcoming talent.
Empowering Bristol’s young people
Our new International Women’s Day learning resources are designed to enable open discussion around gender identity and feminism.
Created for young people (aged 11-17), parents and teachers, these resources have been inspired by the conversations which took place during our Empowerment programme we run with young female and non-binary people in the city.
We’d love to see what you create. Download the resources from the link below and send your creations to community@bristolbeacon.org.
Lesson Plan
To mark International Women’s Day 2022, we’ve created activities designed to encourage open, positive discussion around harassment, gender norms, misogyny and feminism.
The lesson plan includes:
- topics to discuss and ways to talk about them with respect for other people
- poems created by Seah Hoston and Ngaio Anyia to inspire discussion
- activity sheets
This resource is freely available to teachers, session leaders, parents or anyone who wants to engage in discussion.
Women in leadership
Our Chief Executive, Louise Mitchell and Communications Director, Sarah Robertson and Cathy Mager, who works with us as Creative Lead of our Lantern project, have today been named as three of Bristol’s most Influential Women for 2022 by Bristol Live.
Louise was also interviewed by Business West, on her views on women and gender balance in business advocating that “a balance of all kinds of people just has to result in better decision making.” – Louise Mitchell.
Supporting new parents
In 2021 we set up BLOOM in partnership with Bluebell care to support parents with their perinatal mental health and wellbeing.
It’s a chance for mums and babies to make music together in a playful, safe way and offers parents an opportunity to come together, relax and make music or just listen.
Celebrating women in music
Every month, we host The Tonic Sessions with Bristol Jazz and Blues Festival – these are monthly gigs celebrating women in music.
These shows spotlight women who compose, perform, arrange and play music in all genres with all people. Each gig also begins with a set from a female music student from BIMM college, Bristol.
Join us for our next Tonic Sessions gig on Thursday 28 April with Samantha Lindo.
