Urban catalysts

Women have often catalysed civic engagement and civic improvement. How are the immaterial, social, relational and organisational aspects of making cities recorded, documented, gathered, seen as ongoing and contemporary rather than just historical?

Projects exploring this theme include:

  • Silenced Histories, a symposium organised by the Patrick Geddes Centre at Riddle's Court (2019) explored women-led social change in nineteenth century Edinburgh.
  • You're never done 2021 Glasgow International was a group exhibition where artists explored the invisible narratives of labour within cities.
  • Dampbusters 2021 is an exhibition by Winne Herbstein at the Centre for Contemporary Arts, Glasgow, which explores community organising in Glasgow.
  • Life Support: Forms of care in art and activism is a 2021 exhibition inspired by Glasgow Women's Library communities and collections that includes responses to challenges of housing and home life.
The event took place online via Zoom.