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West Midlands women’s voices celebrate International Women’s Day

08/03/2019
West Midlands women’s voices celebrate International Women’s Day

Academics from the School of Performing Arts and Wolves Sport represented the University of Wolverhampton at the West Midlands Women’s Voices celebration of International Women’s Day recently.

The event was held at the Custard Factory in Digbeth, Birmingham, on Wednesday 6th March 2019 and featured a keynote speech by Dr Helen Pankhurst, women’s rights activist and great-granddaughter of Emmeline Pankhurst.

The Mayor of the West Midlands, Andy Street chaired a panel featuring Dr Pankhurst and a number of local politicians.

Featuring a variety of panels and workshops, the day focused on celebrating the voices of women in arts, sport, culture and politics. The University of Wolverhampton hosted a stand detailing the work of School of Performing Arts, Institute of Human Sciences and Wolves Sport as well as the Arena Theatre.

Dr Sarah Browne, Head of the School of Performing Arts based at the University’s Walsall Campus, said: “We were really excited to be involved in this high profile event to celebrate International Women’s Day.

“Academics and sports scholars featured on the panels, promoting the fantastic work of the University of Wolverhampton whilst at the same time recognising the invaluable contribution women make to their respective fields.”

Dr Sarah Browne spoke on the Music and Arts panel and promoted the work of Hear Her Song, an international initiative co-produced by the University of Wolverhampton, The Canales Project and the UN Decade of Women initiative. Performances featured University of Wolverhampton musical theatre students singing the work of female composers, along with the world premiere of ‘Grateful’, a new Hear Her Song commission, written and performed by prominent UK composer, Rosabella Gregory.

Sarah’s recent research has focused entirely on feminist readings of musicals and her particular interest is in the female voice.

Three of the University of Wolverhampton’s prominent sports scholars also featured on the Sports panel.  Mimi Cesar is a graduate in Sports Studies and represented Team England as a Rhythmic Gymnast in the Commonwealth Games 2018.  Lauren Johnson is a professional female boxer who studies Criminology and Criminal Justice and Ellie Harbison is a World Champion Gold Medallist Kickboxer.

Picture caption shows graduate, Mimi Cesar, practising her sport.

ENDS

 

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