WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH in East London 2026
So little of women’s history has been recorded that we are now striving to redress the balance and celebrate women’s wide-ranging achievements. We are featuring a collection of well known women from East London in the centrefold of our printed programme and creating an on-line exhibition. Throughout the month of March contemporary women artists, activists, writers and performers will present a diverse programme of events and exhibitions in studios, galleries, venues, libraries and institutions across East London. Please make sure you can access them all by checking with the projects directly.
ACME
44 Copperfield Road E3 4RR Mile End tube, Limehouse DLR
www.acme.org.uk 020 8981 8811
Acme is a charity that provides artists with affordable studios and live/work spaces and a programme of support through residences and awards.
ACME: Caroline de Lannoy – Cool. Image © Caroline de Lannoy
CAROLINE DE LANNOY
Studio 7/3rd floor, 44 Copperfield Rd E3 4RR
www.carolinedelannoy.net
Working across painting, text, sound & video, exploring time, space and perception through a language of abstracts, creating compositions drawing upon the spectrum of sensory perception and feelings, highlighting the conversation between the visible and invisible.
ACME: Karolina Suchanek Image © Karolina Suchanek
KAROLINA SUCHANEK
Studio E2, 44 Bonner Rd E2 9JS Bethnal Green tube
www.cavetextiles.com
Textile artist and founder of Cave Textiles, working with plant-dyed materials alongside hand weaving, felting and printing.
Open Workshop 6 & 8 March Women, Cloth & Connection Adm £8-£15. Textile Talk £5
ARTSADMIN
Toynbee Studios, 28 Commercial Street. E1 6AB Aldgate East tube
www.artsadmin.co.uk 020 7247 5102
ARTSADMIN: Morning Creatives Image © Sophie Leroux
MORNING CREATIVES
Wed 4 March 11am-1pm
Book online FREE
On the first Wednesday of every month, we invite freelance artists, creatives, and producers working in contemporary performance and live art to join us at Toynbee Studios for a relaxed morning of connection, conversation, and creative exchange.
AUTOGRAPH
Rivington Place EC2A 3BA Shoreditch High Street overground
https://autograph.org.uk 020 7729 9200
AUTOGRAPH: I Still Dream of a Lost Vocabulary Image © Sabrina Tirvengadum
I STILL DREAM OF A LOST VOCABULARY
Until 12 March Wed-Fri 11am-6pm, Sat 12noon-6.30pm FREE
This major group exhibition examines how photographs can be deconstructed and reassembled through the idea of collage, offering new perspectives on complex and contested social realities.
BARBICAN CENTRE
Silk Street, EC2Y 8DS Barbican/Moorgate tube
www.barbican.org.uk 020 7870 2500
BARBICAN GALLERY: Beatriz Gonzalez Los Papagayos (The Parrots) detail, 1987 © Beatriz Gonzalez Photo © Oriol Tarridas
Barbican Gallery: BEATRIZ GONZALEZ
Until 10 May Adm £19
Bringing together six decades of Columbian artist Beatriz Gonzalez’s work – from the 1960s to the present – this exhibition celebrates her extraordinary and dynamic practice. Through paintings, sculptural assemblages and monumental public installations, she persistently engages with how images permeate the world.
BARBICAN Level 2 Gallery: Back at YA Image © Lynda Benglis/VAGA at ARS, NY and DACS, London
Level 2 Gallery: BACK AT YA Encounters: Giacometti X Lynda Benglis
Until 31 May
This exhibition showcases almost 30 previously unseen works of artist Lynda Benglis in dialogue with historic works by Giacometti in nearly a century of art making and includes sculptures made from bronze, ceramic plaster, painted stone and handmade paper.
BARBICAN The Curve Level G: Julia Phillips – Inside, Before They Speak Image courtesy The Barbican
The Curve – Level G: JULIA PHILLIPS – Inside, Before They Speak
Until 19 April FREE
Featuring new works which explore the surreal qualities of the human body, visualise the stages of conception through the lens of medical technology and propose hypothetical apparatuses which merge the industrial with the anatomical.
BARBICAN Hall: Hildur Guonaðóttir. Image © Camille Blake
Barbican Hall: HILDUR GUONAÐÓTTIR’S Where to
From Sat 21 March 7.30pm Tkts from £30
A special evening of music featuring Guonaðóttir on vocals and cello. Alongside a trio of musicians and two vocalists; complemented by lighting design.
BARBICAN Hall: Dunedin Consort Singers Image courtesy The Barbican
Barbican Hall: TANSY DAVIES Passion of Mary Magdalene with Dunedin Consort
Tues 24 March 7.30pm Tkts from £18
Tansy Davies presents the World Premiere of Passion of Mary Magdalen. The work reimagines the Passion story through the perspective of Mary Magdalen, offering a contemporary lens on one of the most retold narratives in Western music and theology.
BARBICAN Hall: Yuja Wang. Image © Julia Wesely
LSO – Barbican Hall
London Symphony Orchestra/Tarmo Peltokoshi Rantavaara & Wagner, with Yuja Wang
Sun 1 March 6.30pm
London Symphony Orchestra Half Six Fix – Laura Bowler with Bar Avni & Barbara Hannigan
Wed 4 March 6.30pm
London Symphony Orchestra/Barbara Hannigan Laura Bowler, Ligeti & Strauss, with Bar Avni
Thurs 5 March 7pm
London Symphony Orchestra Half Six Fix – Dvořák with Anja Bihlmaier
Wed 25 March 6.30pm
London Symphony Orchestra Bernstein, Liebermann & Dvořák with Gareth Davies
Thurs 26 March 7pm
Milton Court Concert Hall
GAMBARINI: English Impresaria Academy of Ancient Music
Thurs 12 March 7.30pm
Milton Court Concert Hall: Image courtesy The Barbican
Milton Court Concert Hall: GAMBARINI English Impresaria with Academy of Ancient Music
Thurs 12 March 7.30pm Tkts from £12
Bojan Čičić and Academy of Ancient Music plunge into the colourful world of Elisabetta da Gambarini – composer, virtuoso, entrepreneur, and the first woman ever to publish music in England. This was the era of Handel and Hogarth – a riot of theatre, music and commerce – so things are about to get lively.
ALICE BILLING HOUSE
2-12 West Ham Lane, Stratford E15 4SF Stratford DLR
www.alicebillinghouse.co.uk
ALICE BILLING HOUSE: Celebrating Legacy Image courtesy Eastside Community Heritage
CELEBRATING LEGACY A Time Capsule of Alice Billing House
Tues 3 March 2pm-3.30pm
Open to all women. Refreshments provided.
Presented in collaboration with Eastside Community Heritage.
Join us for a celebration that honours the contributions of women past & present. This commemorative event will support the creation of material for our Time Capsule preserving numerous stories, achievements, and hopes for future generations.
BISHOPSGATE INSTITUTE
23 Bishopsgate, Spitalfields EC2M 4QH Liverpool St tube/rail
www.bishopsgate.org.uk 020 7392 9200 enquiries@bishopsgate.org.uk
BISHOPSGATE INSTITUTE: Dance in a Day – Lindy Hop Image courtesy Bishopsgate Institute
DANCE PROGRAMME
Box Office open Mon-Fri 9am-6pm
- Swing Den Fri 6 March 7 pm £12/£9 concs
- Pink Jukebox Sun 8 March 2pm
- Bishopsgate Ballroom Fri 13 March 7.30pm £14/£12 concs
- Dance in a Day – Lindy Hop Sun 22 March 2pm £46
BLOW THE FUSE
BLOW THE FUSE: Electric Landladies. Image courtesy Blow the Fuse
ELECTRIC LANDLADIES
Sat 7 March Doors 7.30pm. Music 8.30pm-10.30pm Bar till 11pm
St Matthias Hall, Wordsworth Rd N16 8DD Dalston overground
Book tickets at https://wegottickets.com/event/685185
Friendly atmosphere, come one, come all, and dance your suffragette socks off with one of the best live bands in London.
Rachel Calladine: Vocals, Jenny Carr: Keys/BVs, Diane Mcloughlin: Sax/Keys, Alison Rayner: Bass/BVs, Deirdre Cartwright: Guitar, Michele Drees: Drums/Bvs.
BRADY ARTS CENTRE
192-196 Hanbury Street E1 5HU Aldgate East/Whitechapel tube
www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/arts 020 4764 7900
BRADY ARTS CENTRE: Tower Hamlets Women’s Spring Open Exhibition. Image © Takaiya Mcghie
TOWER HAMLETS WOMEN’S SPRING OPEN EXHIBITION
6-28 March Mon-Fri 9am-7pm, Sat 10am-4pm FREE
Celebrating and showcasing the talent and creativity of the women of Tower Hamlets.
The participants include professional artists as well as those who have never exhibited before. They all live, work or study in the borough, and are of all ages and from diverse backgrounds.
BRADY ARTS CENTRE: A Team Arts Education, Mothers, Daughters and Sons Workshop. Image courtesy A Team Arts
A TEAM ARTS EDUCATION 07956 377537 Mothers, Daughters and Sons Workshop
Sat 21 March 12noon-4pm FREE
Refreshments provided.
We are inviting mothers to attend with their daughters and sons to explore this year’s IWD theme Give to Gain. Sharing skills in textile crafts and embroidery technique we will create a celebratory artwork inspired by the boteh (flower) also known as the Paisley pattern. This iconic motif carries importance as a symbol of cultural identity inspired by nature.
Come and make artworks that will form part of an exciting community project Threads of Connection sharing and learning together, creating a positive sense of community and belonging through visual storytelling. Participants are invited to bring along their own samples of paisley patterns for inspiration.
CUBITT TOWN LIBRARY
Strattondale Street, E14 3HG Crossharbour DLR
www.ideastore.co.uk 020 7987 3152
CUBITT TOWN LIBRARY: Green Fingered Women. Image courtesy Royal Botanic Gardens Kew
GREEN-FINGERED WOMEN
Thurs 12 March 11.15am-12.45pm FREE All Welcome
Marion Campey will be giving a talk on the women who, over the past 200 years, have created parks and garden spaces for the people of London to enjoy.
EASTSIDE COMMUNITY HERITAGE
School 360, Sugar House Lane, Stratford E15 2QS
Stratford tube, Pudding Mill Lane DLR
www.hidden-histories.org.uk 020 8553 3116/07411 536339
EASTSIDE COMMUNITY HERITAGE: Celebrating Legacy Image courtesy Eastside Community Heritage
CELEBRATING LEGACY – The Women of East London Past & Present
Tues 3 March 2pm-3.30pm
2-12 West Ham Lane, Stratford E15 2SF
Join us at Alice Billing House for a special session for Women’s History Month that honours the contribution of women past & present.
EAST END PRINTS Shop & Gallery
234 Brick Lane E2 7EB Shoreditch High Street overground
www.eastendprints.co.uk 020 721 1118
EAST END PRINTS: Calm Woman © Sandra Poliakov
1-31 March Open Tues-Sun 10am-6pm
Featuring empowering quotes, inspiring feminist icons and gorgeous typography, our Women’s History Month collection is all about celebrating our growing collection of female artists and their contributions to East End Prints. View our collection and bring some female fire into your home.
EAST END WOMEN’S MUSEUM
EAST END WOMEN’S MUSEUM: Madge Gill Myrninerest Postcard Image © London Borough of Newham
A public history project recording, sharing and celebrating women’s stories and voices from East London history and the present day. We are working towards opening a permanent home but in the meantime we are a kitchen table museum who also put on events, exhibitions and make resources available for women’s groups, schools and colleges to use.
FEMINIST LIBRARY
Sojourner Truth Centre, 161 Sumner Road SE15 6JL
Peckham Rye/Queens Road overground
www.feministlibrary.co.uk 020 7261 0879
FEMINIST LIBRARY: Volunteers Image © Feminist Library
Open Wed 11am-5pm, Sat 1pm-4pm (Bookshop)
The Feminist Library is a large archive collection of feminist literature, particularly Women’s Liberation Movement materials from the late 1960s. We support research, activist and community projects. The Library is run by volunteers and does not require registration or membership. Search our online catalogue, explore our collection and find out more about our activities and events.
FEMINIST LIBRARY: International Women's Book Swap
Events – please book
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S BOOK SWAP
Sat 7 March 2pm-3pm
Book Swap in celebration of International Women’s Day. This year’s theme is ‘Give to Gain’ so bring a feminist book you want to share to take one home.
FEMINIST LIBRARY: Animation as Protest
ANIMATION AS PROTEST – Short film screening & badge workshop
Sat 14 March 5pm-8pm
We will show a selection of short animated films focused on the theme of protest and activism to inspire you to make badges about a cause you care about. All materials will be provided.
FEMINIST LIBRARY: Black Feminist Reading Group
BLACK FEMINIST READING GROUP
Tues 17 March 6.30pm-8pm
We will be reading Deep Sightings and Rescue Missions by Toni Cade Bambara, a collection of short fiction and essays.
FEMINIST LIBRARY: Endo Embroidery
ENDO EMBROIDERY with Coco Warner-Allen
Sat 21 March 4pm-6pm
The Feminist Library and The Poorly Project are pleased to announce an endo-embroidery workshop dedicated to Endometriosis Awareness Month.
FEMINIST LIBRARY: Herstories Book Club
HERSTORIES BOOK CLUB
Wed 25 March 2pm-3.30pm
The Volcano Lover by Susan Sontag is a historical romance based on the lives of Sir William Hamilton, his wife Emma, and Lord Nelson.
FEMINIST LIBRARY: S.A.F.E. Book Club
S.A.F.E. BOOK CLUB Fundraiser
Sat 28 March 5pm-8pm
To mark the Global Day to Destigmatise Abortions we will be reading My Notorious Life by Kate Manning.
FEMINIST LIBRARY: Unfurling Maori & Pasifika Print Publishing
UNFURLING MAORI & PASIFIKA PRINT PUBLISHING
Sun 29 March 1pm-4pm
Join publisher Kaiya Waerea in a group study session exploring the Feminist Library‘s collections relating to Maori & Pasifika feminist organising in the late 20th century.
FEMINIST LIBRARY: Black British Hood Feminism
BLACK BRITISH HOOD FEMINISM: Decolonising Touch
Tues 31 March 6pm-8.25pm
Seeking to understand how we can make softer spaces, without reinforcing the perils of Babylon’s violence within Black British Communities and across transnational solidarity.
50:50 PARLIAMENT
50:50 PARLIAMENT detail from campaign poster
We are a friendly network here to help more women progress in politics at a local and national level and run an inclusive, intersectional campaign working with all political parties to empower women with our #AskHerToStand and #StandUpToStand programmes. We invite everyone to support our work and join our mailing list via our website.
FOUR CORNERS
121 Roman Road, Bethnal Green E2 0QN Bethnal Green tube
www.fourcornersfilm.co.uk 020 8981 6111
FOUR CORNERS: Joyce Edwards – A Story of Squatters. Image © Joyce Edwards
JOYCE EDWARDS : A Story of Squatters
Until 20 March Wed-Sat 11am-6pm FREE
A newly uncovered archive by the late photographer Joyce Edwards reveals the vibrant squatting movement that reshaped parts of East London in the 1970s. A Hampstead landlady turned talented photographer, Edwards created intimate portraits of young people transforming derelict Bethnal Green streets into an unconventional community. The exhibition pairs Edward’s striking black and white portraits with colourful snapshots by the residents themselves, offering a rare visual history of the grassroots movement that evolved into the Grand Union Housing Co-op.
HACKNEY EMPIRE
291 Mare Street E8 1EJ Hackney Central overground
www.hackneyempire.co.uk 020 8985 2424
HACKNEY EMPIRE: Anna Fiorentini Theatre & Film School. Image courtesy Hackney Empire
ANNA FIORENTINI THEATRE & FILM SCHOOL’S 25th ANNIVERSARY VARIETY SHOW
Sat 14 March 7pm Tkts from £18
Bringing together 180 young performers aged 7-18 presenting dazzling numbers inspired by musicals, capturing the magic of cinema and theatre.
HACKNEY EMPIRE: Touch of Class 2026 Image courtesy Hackney Empire
TOUCH OF CLASS 2026: Mother’s Day Special
Sun 15 March 7.30pm Tkts from £30
Comedy and music showcase celebrating the mothers of the world.
HACKNEY EMPIRE: Bridget Christie Jacket Potato Pizza. Image © Natasha Pszenicki.
BRIDGET CHRISTIE: JACKET POTATO PIZZA
Fri 20 March 7.30pm Tkts from £22
The creator of Channel 4’s smash hit sitcom The Change – with her brand new show.
HACKNEY EMPIRE: Hollie McNish Brand New Book Tour. Image courtesy Hollie McNish
HOLLIE McNISH: BRAND NEW BOOK TOUR
Sat 21 March 7.30pm Tkts from £16
After a run of sold out shows, Hollie is back with a brand-new book tour. Expect adult content, ribbon-wrapped chat and poetry.
HACKNEY EMPIRE: I'm Every Woman: The Chaka Khan Musical. Image courtesy Hackney Empire
I’M EVERY WOMAN: THE CHAKA KHAN MUSICAL
21-25 March Tkts from £20
The fame, the fire, the fight. This is her story.
Get ready to witness the incredible untold life story of this multiplatinum selling, 10-time Grammy winner and global icon.
HALF MOON THEATRE
43 White Horse Road E1 0ND Limehouse DLR
www.halfmoon.org.uk 020 7709 8900
HALF MOON THEATRE: Sisters 360. Image courtesy Polka Theatre
SISTERS 360 written by Asif Khan
Fri 20 March 10.30am & 1.30pm, Sat 21 March 11am & 2pm Tkts £9
Inspired by real-life skateboarders the Hijabi Sisters from Hull, Sisters 360 is a funny, heartfelt and high energy play for ages 8-12. Expect skateboarding, sisterhood and a story that champions belonging, resilience and daring to dream big.
HOXTON HALL
130 Hoxton Street, N1 6SH Hoxton overground
www.hoxtonhall.co.uk 020 7684 0050
HOXTON HALL: Suppliants of Syria Image courtesy Border Crossings
SUPPLIANTS OF SYRIA presented by Border Crossings
3-8 March Tues-Sat 7.30pm, Sun 2.30pm Tkts £30, £20, £15 concs
Inspired by Aeschylus’s SUPPLIANTS this new play explores what it means to seek asylum, to flee war and persecution, and to claim your place in a new land. The play foregrounds the real voices of refugee women today, challenging prevailing ideas about political and cultural borders in Britain and Europe.
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY
Sunday 8 March 2026
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY: Give to Gain 2026 Theme Image from IWD website
The main theme for IWD 2026 is Give to Gain focusing on forging gender equality through abundant giving of knowledge, resources. Time and support, creating interconnectedness where women’s thriving benefits everyone. Currently the UN Women’s theme for IWD 2026 emphasises Balance the Scales, calling for action to address systematic barriers and achieve justice, equality, and inclusion for all women and girls, including combating period poverty and climate impacts.
ANNKA KULTYS GALLERY
Shepherdess Walk N1 7LB
www.annkakultys.com
ANNKA KULTYS GALLERY: Artloft Tribute to Zaha Hadid. Image courtesy Annka Kultys
ARTLOFT Tribute to Zaha Hadid
Mon 9 March 6.30pm-10.30pm
Dame Zaha Hadid was an architect of extraordinary power and vision. To mark the 10th anniversary of her passing ArtLoft is hosting this special evening to pay tribute to her work led by Farah Nayeri featuring some of her closest collaborators and friends as speakers.
LAUDERDALE HOUSE
Waterlow Park, Highgate Hill N6 5HG Archway tube
www.lauderdalehouse.org.uk/whats-on/unheard-voices 020 8348 8716
UNHEARD VOICES: Lara Dodds-Eden (left), Carola Emrich-Fisher (right)
UNHEARD VOICES: Women Composers & Their Stories
Sunday 8 March 3pm Tkts £15, concs £10
Carola Emrich-Fisher, Mezzo-Soprano; Lara Dodds-Eden, Piano
This recital offers a glimpse into the vast repertoire of works by women composers, still under-represented in the canon of Classical music. The concert will not only present these composers’ works, but will shed light on the fascinating life stories and accomplishments of these women. German-American mezzo-soprano Carola Emrich-Fisher has appeared as soloist and ensemble member in major concert halls of the US, UK and Europe. Australian-born pianist Lara Dodds-Eden is a specialist song and choral accompanist, she has performed extensively in the UK, Australia, Canada and Europe. They both live in Hackney.
GILLIAN LAWRENCE
The Rookwood Village, 314 Cann Hall Road E11 3NW Leyton/Wanstead tube
www.therookwoodvillage.com 020 8161 0010
GILLIAN LAWRENCE: Women in Igbo Folktales Image © Gillian Lawrence
WOMEN IN IGBO FOLKTALES
March 1-31 12 noon-10pm daily FREE
Gillian Lawrence exhibits art work exploring the representation of women in eastern Nigerian folktales.
LONDON ARCHIVES
40 Northampton Road EC1R 0HB Farringdon/Kings cross tube
https://share-uk.org
LONDON ARCHIVES: Women’s Writing Circle Image © The London Archives
WOMEN’S WRITING CIRCLE
Sat 14 March 11am-1pm Adm £20
Tkts – https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/womens-writing-circle-with-share-uk-tickets-1975406834017
Facilitated by Esther Freeman, social historian and writer. You will learn about inspiring women, explore original archive material and build your own intimate relationship with the past through writing exercises
LONDON MUSEUM DOCKLANDS
1 West India Quay, Hertsmere Road E14 4AL West India Quay DLR
www.londonmuseum.org.uk
WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH TALKS 1-31 March FREE
Book your tickets to uncover the stories of working women in WWII, pioneering abolitionists, female pirates and more.
LONDON MUSEUM DOCKLANDS: Tales Time
TALES TIME: Emmeline Pankhurst
7-29 March
Performance. Hear the Suffragette leader’s story brought to life.
LONDON MUSEUM DOCKLANDS: Dido Belle
DIDO BELLE: from slavery to nobility
7-28 March
Dido’s unique story unfolds within an aristocratic family in Hampstead.
LONDON MUSEUM DOCKLANDS: Women in the Docks in WWII
WOMEN in the Docks in the Second World War
Sun 8 March
The vital contribution of over seven million women in the war effort.
LONDON MUSEUM DOCKLANDS: Betty Steel
BETTY STEEL: From London to Sydney
8-22 March
The inspiring story of Australia’s first deaf settler.
LONDON MUSEUM DOCKLANDS: The Unsung Abolitionists
THE UNSUNG ABOLITIONISTS
14 March
Discover the women who shifted public and political opinion around slavery.
LONDON MUSEUM DOCKLANDS: Windrush & the NHS
WINDRUSH & THE NHS: A nurse called Ruby
14 March
Hear how a Jamaican nurse answered Britain’s call for help.
LONDON MUSEUM DOCKLANDS: Poly Styrene
POLY STYRENE
15-29 March
Exploring the life of the woman who helped shape Punk music.
LONDON MUSEUM DOCKLANDS: Women Sailors in the Age of Sail
WOMEN SAILORS IN THE AGE OF SAIL
15-28 March
The remarkable women who defied social norms by working at sea.
LONDON MUSEUM DOCKLANDS: Women in Indian Indentured Labour
OBJECTS & STORIES
To be found in the museum – POWERFUL WOMEN IN THE LATE IRON AGE, WOMEN IN INDIAN INDENTURED LABOUR.
MARY ON THE GREEN
Newington Green N16 9PR Canonbury overground
Contemporary sculptor Maggie Hambling’s controversial statue for Mary Wollstonecraft (the mother of feminism) stands in the middle of the green attracting many visitors.
MARY ON THE GREEN by Maggie Hambling Image © Ioana Marinescu
WOLLSTONECRAFT WALKS APP
https://wollstonecraftwalks.netlify.app
Follow in the footsteps of Mary Wollstonecraft (1759-1797) champion of girl’s education and human rights with this App presented by Fragments & Monuments Performance & Film Company and Scary Little Girls Performance Hub.
MILL CO
Rose Lipman Library, 43 De Beauvoir Road N1 5SF Dalston tube/overground
https://millco.co.uk/events 020 7923 3565
Explore your creative and fun side through theatre, movement & wellbeing.
MILL CO: Contact Improvisation. Image courtesy Mill Co
CONTACT IMPROVISATION
Mondays 6.30pm-8,30pm Donation from £5
Led by Marie Chabert, for musicians & movers
MILL CO: Gong Bath. Image © Pit Saaler from Pixabay
GONG BATH
Tuesdays 7pm-8pm Donation from £5
Led by Juan Sanchez Plaza. Relax with the inward healing vibrations of the Gong Bath.
MILL CO: Contemporary Dance Class. Image courtesy Mill Co
CONTEMPORARY DANCE CLASS
Wednesdays 7pm-8.15pm Tkts £14
Led by Laura Kenyon & Paul Davies. Improve your stamina and strength, body alignment, connection and movement co-ordination in a light groovy atmosphere.
MILL CO: Womanewer Triple Bill. Image courtesy Mill Co
TRIPLE BILL PERFORMANCE
Sun 8 March 2pm Donation based
Showcasing three different female artists, this event is open to all and celebrates International Women’s Day, survival, womanhood, strength and empowerment. More info and tkts available from hello@millco.co.uk
MOTHERS WHO WRITE
MOTHERS WHO WRITE
An online community and place of mutual support and connection for writers – both established and new – who happen to be mothers. Our safe and inclusive online space is ready when you are, fitting flexibility into the cracks in your schedule.
MUSEUM OF THE HOME
136 Kingsland Road E2 8EA Hoxton overground
www.museumofthehome.org.uk 020 7739 9893
The museum is housed in in Almshouses built in 1714. Explore the temporary exhibitions and permanent installations.
Open Tues-Sun 10am-5pm FREE
MUSEUM OF THE HOME: Rooms Through Time – Tenement Flat in 1913. Image © Jaron James
ROOMS THROUGH TIME
Travel through time as you discover homes, personal stories and objects reflecting the lived experiences of our East London community past, present and future, and explore how ways of living, furniture, textiles and décor have adapted through the ages.
MUSEUM OF THE HOME: Gardens Through Time Image courtesy Museum of the Home
GARDENS THROUGH TIME
Discover different styles of garden from a Tudor Knot Garden to a modern Green Roof reflecting social change, fashion and innovation.
OITIJ-JO
Common Room, Export Building, 2 Clove Crescent E14 2BE
East India/ Blackwall DLR
www.oitij-jo.org 07932 944506
OITIJ-JO: Stitching Sisterhood. Image courtesy Oitij-Jo
STITCHING SISTERHOOD
4-18 March 12noon-2pm FREE
In celebration of the International Women’s Day Theme Give to Gain, the Oitij-jo Design Studio is organising collaborative sessions focused on transforming textile scraps into wall hangings. These workshops offer participants the opportunity to work together, learn new skills and enjoy a sense of community. Delivered in collaboration with Republic.
MAUREEN PALEY GALLERY
www.maureenpaley.com 020 7729 4112
The Gallery is exhibiting:
MAUREEN PALEY GALLERY: Fiona Connor. Image © Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times.
FIONA CONNOR
27 March – 23 May
at 14 Herald Street E2 6JT Bethnal Green tube
Fiona Connor’s sculpture and works on paper reproduce everyday objects in ways that can challenge viewers’ familiarity with their environment.
MAUREEN PALEY GALLERY: Michaela Eichwald – Abschied von Gladbeck, Image © Michaela Eichwald
MICHAELA EICHWALD
12 March – 16 May
at 60 Three Colts Lane E2 6GQ Bethnal Green tube and Studio M, Rochelle School, 7 Playground Gardens E2 7FA Old St/Liverpool St tube, Shoreditch High St overground.
Michaela Eichwald’s densely layered, abstract paintings are often produced on unconventional surfaces such as printed canvas or imitation leather using a combination of acrylic, oil, tempera, spray paint, mordant, graphite, varnish, and lacquer.
PHOTO WALK & WORKSHOPS with Urbanlens
www.urbanlens.studio @urbanlens3
URBANLENS: Night Walk – Stories from the Women of Mare Street. Image © Urbanlen
NIGHT WALK: Stories from the Women of Mare Street -
Sun 8 March
Meet at 5.15pm on the steps of Hackney Town Hall, Mare St E8 1EA Dalston Central overground
Anyone is welcome to join the walk with a phone or camera to walk, talk, and photograph, at dusk to dark, to explore the stories of the Women of Mare Street past & present with some special guests.
Please book your place online. £5 per person.
URBANLENS: Sequencing & Editing Your Project Workshop. Image © Urbanlens
WORKSHOPS
Ravenscroft Street Studios. 3 Ravenscroft St E2 7SH Haggerston overground
Introduction to Lighting Sun 8 March 10am-2pm Drinks & biscuits provided.
Explore how to use studio lights and natural lighting with hands on use of the equipment with plenty of time to experiment. Register your place online. £75 per person (max 6 people).
Sequencing & Editing Your Project Sat 21 March 10am-4pm
If you are currently working on a photographic project and would like professional advice on where and how to exhibit or publish it, bring it along (as a series of 6x4 inch workprints or larger) to enable us to layout, edit and sequence your images. We will discuss each project in depth, help you to write an artists statement and suggest where, and to whom, to show your completed new project for the next stage. This will be an intensive, immersive workshop involving your peer group with input from the Urbanlens Team. To book and register your place contact Heather McDonough at heather@lostgloves.com Six-hour session £175 per person (max 6 people)
Urbanlens Heather McDonough, Maria Bodis-Wollner & Sacha Lehrfreund are photographers, educators, curators and editors.
STORYSHAPED: Podcast image
Susan Cahill & Sinead O’Hart
STORYSHAPED is a podcast about the stories that shape us, co-hosted by local authors Susan Cahill & Sinead O’Hart.
POPLAR UNION
2 Cottall Street, Poplar E14 6TL West ferry DLR
www.poplarunion.com 020 3039 3333
POPLAR UNION: Women Building Futures Image courtesy Poplar Union
WOMEN BUILDING FUTURES Curated by Jodie Williams. Panel and Discussion
Thurs 5 March 6pm-9pm FREE
Exploring the challenges and opportunities in sustaining grassroots impact from funding to burnout, visibility and collaboration.
EMPOWERHER MARKET
Sun 15 March 10am-1pm FREE
A vibrant community market celebrating women makers, grassroots organisations and creative entrepreneurs.
WOMEN ONLY CANAL WALK & TALK
Sat 21 March 10am-1pm FREE
Join us for a 45-60 minute canal walk followed by wellness activities, coffee & pastries at Poplar Union, and round table conversation.
POPLAR UNION: Mothers in Focus You Inspire Me Exhibition Image Image courtesy Poplar Union
MOTHERS IN FOCUS present YOU INSPIRE ME exhibition
1-30 March 10am-5pm FREE
A photography exhibition by Mothers from Marner Primary School celebrating women’s strength, resilience and powerful visual storytelling.
POPLAR UNION: Voices Across Time. Image: courtesy Magic Me
MAGIC ME and MULBERRY TRUST Voices Across Time
Thurs 12 March I.30pm-3.30pm FREE
Join us for the Premiere of Voices Across Time, our intergenerational film celebrating inspirational women of East London past, present and future. In the summer of 2025 Magic Me partnered with the Mulberry School and Connaught School and nine local older women. They spent six weeks together discussing ideas around ageing, communicating and connecting across ages and culture, learning new storytelling, performing and filming skills – and today we cheer on their achievement.
QUEEN MARY UNIVERSITY OF LONDON
G.47, Mile End Library, 327 Mile End Road E1 4NS Stepney Green tube
QUEEN MARY UNIVERSITY OF LONDON: Threads of Liberation Image courtesy Queen Mary University of London
THREADS OF LIBERATION: Women’s Liberation in East London past, present and future.
Wed 25 March 5.30pm- 8.30pm FREE Open to all
Join the Centre for Public Engagement for our event for Women’s History Month as we explore Women’s Liberation in East London. View materials from Queen Mary University and Tower Hamlets Archives, and reflect on what liberation means to you through a Nakshi Kantha embroidery workshop with Oitij-jo Collective. Connect with others passionate about gender equality and women’s justice in East London.
To book your place register here: https://tinyurl.com/threadsofliberation
RIO CINEMA
107 Kingsland High Street, E8 2PB
Dalston Kingsland/Dalston junction tube
https://riocinema.org.uk 020 7241 9410
RIO CINEMA: Women from Hackney’s History II film launch
Hackney History Society presents: FILM LAUNCH of WOMEN FROM HACKNEY’S HISTORY II
Sun 8 March 1.30pm
Tkts £5
By Sue Doe, Barney Snow, Nina Sprigge with actors from the Tower Theatre in Stoke Newington.
Celebrating the rich heritage of our vibrant melting pot of people and cultures and featuring eleven remarkable women with strong Hackney links from 1600 to the late 20th Century. These women all appear as profiles in the Hackney Society’s two books Women from Hackney’s History 1 & 2.
RIO CINEMA: Still from film documentary My Dear Theo by Alicia Kovaleko
The Rio Feminist Film Programme Group presents: MY DEAR THEO with Alicia Kovaleko
Sun 15 March 2pm
Tkts £8/£14
In a series of letters to her young son, a mother, soldier and filmmaker documents her thoughts from the Ukrainian frontline. A deeply moving and existential film of unimaginable courage. A vital testimony against any kind of war and to what is actually at stake in Ukraine.
SADLERS WELLS THEATRE
Rosebery Avenue EC1R 4TN Angel tube
SADLERS WELLS THEATRE: Mary Queen of Scots Image © Ruby Pluhar
SCOTTISH BALLET – MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS5-8 March Tkts from £15
https://www.sadlerswells.com/whats-on/scottish-ballet-mary-queen-of-scots/
Two women. Two crowns. One story.
As death approaches, Elizabeth I of England is haunted by memories – real and imagined – of her cousin Mary, Queen of Scots.
This major production draws on the complex relationship between these two extraordinary queens. Sophie Laplane’s choreography blends classicism with modernity, reshaping a familiar story with powerful originality. A striking contemporary set and dazzling costumes capture the grandeur of the era with new music performed live by the Scottish Ballet Orchestra.
ST MARGARET’S HOUSE
21 Old Ford Road E2 9PL Bethnal green tube
www.stmargaretshouse.org.uk 020 8980 2092
ST MARGARET’S HOUSE: Women Founders Image courtesy St Margaret’s House
WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH AT ST MARGARET’S HOUSE Admission is FREE – but the Film screening is ticketed
- Kantha Embroidery Community Group Exhibition Tues 3 March
- St Margaret’s House Archive Workshop with Dr Lucinda Matthews-Jones Mon 9 March
- Lust for Life Exhibition Fri 20 March
- Flowers for the People Exhibition by Suke Driver Thurs 26 March
- In the Night I Dream – film by Issey Idehen Sat 28 March
Come to St Margarets events and enjoy a host of events that explore and celebrate the legacies of the women who have helped shape us – from the founders in 1889 to the staff, artists and
SHEROES COLLECTIVE
ART and ACTIVISM focusing on women artists and gender based violence, our SHEROES THURSDAY programme is passionate about using art to drive social change. Please contact us at info@lon-art.org and join our Thursday discussions online from 7pm to 8pm.
SHEROES COLLECTIVE: Women at the National Gallery – Queens, Saints and Sheroes. Image courtesy The National Gallery
WOMEN AT THE NATIONAL GALLERY: Queens, Saints and Sheroes National Gallery, Trafalgar Sq WC2N 5DNL.
Sat 21 Mar 11am-12.15 pm
Book at https://whoisyourshero.com
We will examine and deconstruct the virtues of heroism, looking at how these qualities are reflected in the history of art, particularly when it comes to women.
SHOREDITCH TOWN HALL
380 Old Street EC1V 9LT Old St tube
https://shoreditchtownhall.com 020 7739 6176
SHOREDITCH TOWN HALL: International Women’s Day History Tour – Helen Taylor. Image public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY HISTORY TOUR
Sunday 8 March 11am & 1pm Adm £6
Join us on our International Women’s Day history tour around Shoreditch Town Hall’s Grade II listed building, featuring the stories of suffragette Sylvia Pankhurst, women’s rights advocate; Helen Taylor, Shoreditch’s first woman Mayor; Henrietta Girling and more. Exploring areas never usually open to the public, you will learn about how the space developed over time from a municipal building that opened in 1866, holding the inquest into the murder of Jack the Ripper’s last victim Mary Kelly in 1888, becoming one of the East End’s premiere boxing venues in the 60s, hosting colourful trance nights in the late 1990s with the famous Whirl-Y-Gig, to the popular women’s led venue it is today with a programme of spectacular theatre, star-studded comedy, boisterous drag queens and more.
TOWER HAMLETS LOCAL HISTORY LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES
277 Bancroft Road, Stepney E1 4DQ Stepney Green/Mile End tube
https://www.ideastore.co.uk/local-history/whats-on 020 7364 1290
TOWER HAMLETS LOCAL HISTORY LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES: Women and the Regent’s Canal and its Industries Image © THLHL&A
WOMEN and the REGENTS CANAL and its INDUSTRIES
Thurs 12 March 6pm-7.30pm FREE
Carolyn Clark presents stories and images of women’s lives, both on and by the eastern reach of the Regents Canal. Carolyn runs the Regent’s Canal Heritage projects, working with the Laburnum Boat Club in Hackney and the Young Actors Theatre in Islington and is the author of a number of ‘Tales’.
TOWER HAMLETS TOWN HALL
Whitechapel Road E1 1BJ Whitechapel tube
TOWER HAMLETS WOMEN IN BUSINESS FESTIVAL
6-8 March 11am-8pm Adm FREE
There will be a wide variety of goods and services on offer – clothing, jewellery, hair & skincare, perfume, books, toys, face painting and arts & crafts for children and delicious food.
TOWER HAMLETS TOWN HALL: Womens Awards
TOWER HAMLETS WOMEN’S AWARDS
Mon 23 March 10am-1pm
Tkts: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/londonboroughoftowerhamlets5/1996493
These Awards celebrate the women and groups who are helping to balance the scales for gender equity in Tower Hamlets, recognising their leadership, care, advocacy and impact across the community.
TRAPPED IN ZONE ONE
Island Point Community Centre, 51 Sark Mews E14 3PW Island Gardens DLR
www.trappedinzoneone.com
ACME: Caroline dTRAPPED IN ZONE ONE: Give to Gain Creative Workshop Image courtesy Traped n Zone Onee Lannoy – Cool. Image © Caroline de Lannoy
GIVE TO GAIN – Creative Workshop
Mon 2 March 5pm-7pm – Donation
Creative workshop exploring the International Women’s Day theme of Give to Gain creating culturally inspired collaborative work to forge gender equality through abundant giving. ‘When women thrive, we all rise’.
VILLAGE UNDERGROUND
54 Hollywell Lane, Shoreditch EC2A 3PQ Liverpool St tube/rail
https://villageunderground.co.uk/
VILLAGE UNDERGROUND: Alice Merton Image courtesy Village Underground
ALICE MERTON
Fri 20 March Doors 6.30pm
Tkts from £33.27 villageunderground.co.uk/events/ Presented by Go to Beat and Academy Events.
Growing up around the world, singer/songwriter Alice Merton, born in Germany and raised in Canada, was as influenced by other cultures as much as transience itself.
WELL KNOWN WOMEN OF EAST LONDON
WELL KNOWN WOMEN OF EAST LONDON: Alma Cogan Image from album cover
Online Exhibition on this website
This online exhibition featuring Politicians, Social Reformers, Artists, Activists and Performers, celebrates some of the wonderful women who are an important part of our history and have made valuable contributions to society. They are an inspiration to every woman everywhere.
With thanks to the Tower Hamlets Local History Library and Archives, Hackney Society & Hackney History, Eastside Community Heritage.
WILLIAM MORRIS GALLERY
Forest Road E17 4PP Blackhorse Rd tube
https://wmgallery.org.uk/whats-on/
WILLIAM MORRIS GALLERY: Women in Print Image courtesy William Morris Gallery
WOMEN IN PRINT at The Gallery Shop
This collection showcases the incredible range of design styles and techniques engaged with across the decades. From sinuous Art Nouveau florals and mid-century geometrics to the bold graphic prints of the 1980s & 1990s.
WILTONS MUSIC HALL
1 Graces Alley E1 8JB Shadwell tube
Box office 020 7702 2798 https://wiltons.org.uk/ Info@wiltons.org.uk
WILTONS MUSIC HALL: By a Lady. Image – publicity poster
BY A LADY – The Life and Wit of Jane Austen
13 & 14 March
Presented by Hamblett’s Productions. Directed by Judy Reaves.
Jane Austen was one of the wittiest observers of human relationships and female friendships, who ever put pen to parchment. This play tells her life story from her own writing, women with favourite moments from the immortal characters she created. Set against a musical backdrop we invite you to enjoy this celebration of Austen’s wit, sharpness and sheer delight in the foibles of human behaviour
WILTONS MUSIC HALL: Ruth the Musical. Image – publicity poster
RUTH – Sex. Class. Murder. The Ruth Ellis story had them all.
18-28 March
Presented by Ruth Theatre Productions.
It was a sensational case that shook conventional 1950s Britain to its core – the peroxide blonde nightclub hostess who shot and killed her violent upper class lover and was sentenced to hang for the crime making her the last woman to be executed in Britain. Ruth’s compelling story is brought to the stage as a powerful new musical with moody noir visuals and an emotive score. A timely tale of a woman’s struggle against our patriarchal society.
WILTONS MUSIC HALL: Glitch – the Story of the Post Office Scandal Image courtesy Rabble Theatre
GLITCH – The Story of the Post Office Scandal
31 March – 2 April
Presented by Rabble Theatre
Pam Stubbs has been sub-postmistress of Barkham Post office for over 20 years and loved by the community. But when unexplained discrepancies start appearing in her accounts, Pam soon finds herself at the heart of the biggest miscarriage of justice in English legal history.
WOMEN’S ENVIRONMENTAL NETWORK
20 Club Row E2 7EY
www.wen.org.uk 020 7481 900
WOMEN’S ENVIRONMENTAL NETWORK: Grow Your Own Image courtesy WEN
WEN
WEN is an environmental charity working on issues that connect health, equity and environmental justice. We take an intersectional feminist approach to tackling climate and natural emergencies.
We have been working in Tower Hamlets for more than 20 years. Our projects include working to create a blueprint for a just and sustainable food system across the borough. We support local people to grow their own food. We bring growers together to celebrate and learn from each other as well as promoting community growing space in the area. Please contact us at info@wen.org.uk
WOMEN’S LIBRARY
LSE, 10 Portugal Street, WC2A 2HD Holborn/Temple tube
www.lse.ac.uk/library/whats-on 020 7107 5472
WOMEN’S LIBRARY: Millicent Fawcett - Bain News Service/Elliott & Fry via Wikimedia Commons
THE WOMEN’S LIBRARY @100
Thurs 12 March 5pm-8pm
This year the LSE is celebrating the centenary of The Women’s Library, originally started by Millicent Fawcett. It is the UK’s oldest and largest book, archive, and museum collection, documenting the history of feminism, campaigning and activism from the late 19th century to the present day. This special event will include a reception and the opportunity to meet the curators of the exhibition, alongside representatives from fellow research and archive institutions. You may visit anytime between 5pm-8pm to see the exhibition and pick up our special edition zine. Please book your free place.
WOMEN’S VOICES NOW FILM FESTIVAL
MARCH 2026
Online at www.womensvoicesnow.org
WOMEN’S VOICES NOW: Film Festival March 2026 Still from We Iranian Women by Anna Migotto and Sabina Fedeli
FILMS BY WOMEN, ABOUT WOMEN, FOR ALL
A women’s documentary film festival for emerging filmmakers featuring films from around the globe, available online and on-demand. The festival presents cash prizes, a live Awards ceremony, and opportunities for filmmakers to network and further their creative careers.
GIRLS VOICES NOW
Our youth development programme empowers the next generation of youth from underresourced communities to find, develop and use their voice for social change through filmmaking. A new program, Beyond the Lens Mentorship, connects inner-city girls with caring mentors who guide, inspire and support them every step of the way in growing confidence and finding their voice.
WORLDWRITE
201 Millfields E5 5AL Clapton tube
www.worldwrite.org.uk 020 8985 5436
WORLDWRITE: Sylvia Pankhurst. Image © National Portrait Gallery
Wide Range of Videos
Consult the website to discover a wide range of videos including a remarkable documentary charting the life, vital impact and work of Sylvia Pankhurst, East End heroine, suffragette, internationalist and revolutionary. The film is packed with facts from primary sources, interviews with historians and compelling testimony from Sylvia’s son Richard and his wife Rita.
YURT CAFÉ
St Katherine’s Precinct, 2 Butchers Row E14 8DS Limehouse DLR
https://www.rfsk.org.uk/yurt-cafe 030 0111 1147
YURT CAFÉ: Celebrating Women Image – Look Up screen print © Rachel Winter
CELEBRATING WOMEN
1-31 March 9am-4pm
Posters and portraits by the Art4U2 Art Group. Mixed media art display celebrating women of all ages, cultures and achievements.



























































































