‘Don’t Wait Up’: Women’s safety in focus in event at Streetlife Museum
‘JOIN THE RESISTANCE’: A poster advertising the Don’t Wait Up event next month
By Simon Bristow
Women’s safety will be the focus of an evening of live entertainment, participation and protest in Hull next month.
Hull Museums and local community producers ARCADE are hosting Don’t Wait Up at the Streetlife Museum on Friday November 18.
Inspired by the carriages in the museum’s collection, and reflecting on restricted journeys taken by women in days gone by, audiences are invited to think about the ways women get home safely, both past and present.
RashDash will be headlining the event, performing a gig version of their show The Darkest Corners, which confronts themes of violence against women.
REMEMBRANCE: From left, Sian Alexander, Vicky Foster, and Jo Charlton of Say Her Name Hull at a vigil for murdered women earlier this year
Alongside RashDash will be live music from Alice Clayton of Make Noise Hull and Ysabelle Wombwell. Visitors can enjoy a cocktail, take a selfie at the “warpaint station”, and make a protest sign. Towards the end of the evening, there will be a rallying speech by Sarah Hicks of Justice for Our Sisters, and a moment of vigil to commemorate those who have lost their lives, led by members of Say Her Name Hull.
Artists Rachael Abbey and Jenni Harrison will work with young women and non-binary people from The Warren to create an audio artwork and film responding to the collection, and exploring current dangers women face getting home safely, even more so as the nights draw in.
Jo Charlton, who organises Say Her Name Hull with Sian Alexander and Vicky Foster, said: “Don't Wait Up is going to be a powerful night of performance, protest, celebration and remembrance. We're honoured that our next vigil event to remember women murdered by men - including many who were ‘just walking home’ - is going to be a part of it.”
Sarah Howard of Hull Museums said, “We are pleased to be working with ARCADE once again on an event that uses our museums to raise awareness of women’s history and contemporary experiences. ARCADE have opened up the Streetlife Museum to young women who can give us a new perspective on the past and share their experiences of the challenges faced by women today.”
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The recommended age for this show is 16+. Tickets are free, but booking is advised due to limited capacity. You can book tickets here for the event, which runs from 6.30pm to 9.30pm.
Don’t Wait Up forms part of Hull Museum’s work celebrating women and non-gender conforming people throughout 2022.