A one day multi-disciplinary symposium inspired by the exhibition Object, Object, showing in the stairwell of the Alison Richard Building, which brings together objects, made and found, to reflect the everyday lives of the seven participating women artists. Working in isolation from each other, the women came together to curate the objects, in the expectation that shared concerns and experiences would lead to common themes which would inform the grouping of objects. Once gathered together, themes which emerged were; home, motherhood and children, sentiment, sex and relationships, personal values and activism, oppression and subjugation, objectification.

Presenters at the symposium are drawn from Cambridge women's organisations and from a broad range of the arts including visual, performance, spoken word and film. The keynote speaker is Angie Stewart from Cambridge Women's Aid. There will be an interactive tour of the show Object, Object with some of the participating artists. Speakers, presenters and performers will explore, with their audience, the relationship between objectification of women generally and male violence against women specifically.

We will be exploring difficult and sometimes painful topics, the day will be punctuated with lighter and humourous moments, but there is a comfortable seating area just outside the symposium room for anyone needing to take a break, at anytime during proceedings. There is also access to outside seating should anyone require it. Unlimited hot drinks will be available for attendees to serve themselves. A delicious lunch, prepared by Cambridge Food Cycle is included in all ticket prices.

The venue is fully accessible.

PROGRAMME

10.00 Registration

10.25 Welcome

10.30 Angie Stewart Cambridge Women's Aid

11.30 Q&A/discussion

11.45 Break

12.00 Jane Hellings, Artist Interactive drawing tour of Object, Object

Angie will be available until 13.00 for information, questions and discussion

13.00 Lunch provided by Cambridge Food Cycle

14.00 Norah Al-Ani, Cambridge Rape Crisis Centre The Object of Blame

14.15 Pippa Palmer, Active Futures; for those with chronic conditions

14.30 Audrey Sebatindira, Cambridge University Student's Union Women's Officer

Practising Intersectional Feminism in Elite Spaces

14.45 Zareen Taj, Anti-racist activist Hate Crime;Targeting the Weakest

15.00 Q&A/discussion

15.15 Break

15.30 Alison O'Neill, Artist Art History and Objectification

15.45 Jill Eastland, Artist We Must Love and Support One Another

16.00 Fay Roberts Performance Poetry

16.15 Eirini Kartsaki, Performance Tuck it in No More

16.30 Q&A/discussion

16.45 Break

17.00 Summing up

There is a table booked at nearby pub for anyone wishing to continue the discussion