The history of Sistershow, a Bristol-based feminist group who used theatre to communicate political messages, will be collected and preserved thanks to a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund, it was announced in September.

The £10,000 grant will be spent on creating an exhibition, a publication and subsequent educational activities that will take place at Centrespace Gallery, 6 Leonard Lane, Bristol from 5th – 26th May, 2011. The project will start on 1st October 2010.

By 1973 the Women’s Liberation Movement (WLM) in Britain had mobilised thousands of women to challenge sexism in their everyday lives. Many local groups emerged to support
an ever-growing social movement. Bristol was no different. Women were involved in setting up women’s centres, publishing their own media such as newsletters and the local Bristol WLM journal, ‘Enough,’ as well as finding new ways to spread the message of Women’s Liberation. Sistershow was part of this. The group used humour, dramatics and art to explore the feminist issues of the time. They challenged stereotypes about the humour-less feminist whilst exploring new forms of gender and sexual identities.

Sistershow Revisited will enable new audiences to take a fresh look at Bristol’s feminist past. There are opportunities to help volunteer on the project by conducting research, learning about oral histories, updating the project blog (http://sistershowrevisited.wordpress.com), developing educational activities and exhibition plans.There will be regular meetings throughout the project to engage volunteers, the first of which will be taking place onTuesday 12th October, from 7-9pm at the Watershed Cinema Cafe.

Commenting on the award, project co-ordinator Deborah Withers said, “Sistershow is an important part of Bristol and UK feminist history that has so far been overlooked. Revisiting it today will challenge stereotypes about feminism, both past and present.”

The Head of Heritage Lottery Fund for the South West, Nerys Watts said: “Our heritage is as much about the people and ideas that shaped our recent past as it is about ancient buildings and historic events. For that reason, in the 40th anniversary year of the Women’s Liberation
Movement, we were keen to support this project which recalls and celebrates the response of people in Bristol to a key period in the 20th century, whose lasting influence is still felt today.”

For further information please contact

Project Co-ordinator Dr. Deborah Withers 07940 320 113

sistershow@hammeronpress.net;

http://sistershowrevisited.wordpress.com

The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) enables communities to celebrate, look after and learn
more about our diverse heritage. From our great museums and historic buildings to local
parks and beauty spots or recording and celebrating traditions, customs and history, HLF
grants open up our nation’s heritage for everyone to enjoy. Since 1994 it has supported
more than 26,000 projects, allocating over £4 billion across the UK. www.hlf.org.uk