Talented musicians impress on International Women’s Day
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Version 0 of 1. Norwich, a city long associated with revolutionary females, played host to a new generation of clever, creative women and girls, to celebrate Day of the Girl Norwich on March 8. The Girls Roar Live: Open Mic Night was Day of the Girl Norwich’s celebration of the 2015 International Women’s Day (IWD), which aims to promote female achievements worldwide. This year’s IWD events were shaped around the theme of ‘Make It Happen’. The event was organised by University of East Anglia (UEA) academics Dr Tori Cann, lecturer in Humanities, and Dr Sarah Godfrey, senior lecturer in film and television studies who work within the areas of gender, girlhood and identity. They co-founded Day of the Girl Norwich as part of an award-winning community engagement project that focuses on creating a vital space for female voices to be heard, and listened to. The open mic night brought together young girls and women at The Wharf Academy, Norwich. The free event is designed to provide a supportive and encouraging space for female creativity, with live acts ranging from singer songwriters, to instrumental acts and the spoken word. Five acts performed their work on the evening, including appearances from Erica Horton, Regal Escapee (Anna Carter), Melissa Jesney, Mide Sotubo and Kayleigh Watson. Each act entertained the audience with their individual expression of talent, covering a range of eras, genres and styles. Dr Cann says: “Giving girls space to articulate their concerns, their passions, and also to celebrate being girls is really, really important in developing their confidence.” The Wharf Academy, a female-led music school, supported Day of the Girl Norwich with access to a beautiful space in the former medieval church of St Martin at Oak. Dr Godfrey said the performances were inspiring and the event was a fitting way of marking International Women’s Day by bringing the musical creativity of local women to life. To coincide with the first UN designated International Day of the Girl Child on October 11th 2012, the Day of the Girl Norwich was founded to raise local awareness of the situation of girls around the world. Norwich was home to Julian of Norwich, a 14th Century Christian mystic credited with being the first woman to write a book in English, and Edith Cavell, a pioneering nurse who saved hundreds of lives in the First World War. Now in its third year, the Day of the Girl Norwich community group works with young people and adults across Norfolk, aiming to empower girls through art, education and collaboration. The logo was designed by local illustrator Gemma Correll whose quirky Pug drawings appear on greeting cards across the UK. |