Take Over Tent for Revolting Women

The Glasgow Women’s Library’s Take Over Tent for Revolting Women (created in honour of militants and mavericks from 1918-2018) will be popping up with the intention of making feminist waves whilst providing an inspirational oasis for writers, readers of all ages and groups including many making their first Festival foray. Drop in for strident spine poems, manifesto work shopping and to fuel your appetite for change.

Take Over Tent for Revolting Women, Thursday 23rd, Friday 24th, Saturday 25th August, 10am to 6pm daily, West End of George Street, Edinburgh (look for the Bookshop at no. 3 on EIBF maps).

Take Over Tent for Revolting Women with drop in and programmed activities, including Strident Titles for T-shirts and Totes with visual artist Helen de Main, and song writing workshops with vocalist, guitarist, poet and writer Beldina Odenyo Onassis whose on stage name is Heir of the Cursed. Full schedule of activities is below.

This event is part of Edinburgh International Book Festival’s Revolting Women series of events, curated by Guest Selector Adele Patrick. For more information about Edinburgh International Book Festival see here. To find out about other ways GWL are involved in this year’s Edinburgh International Book Festival on our blog post here.

Schedule of Events

Thursday 23rd August Programme, Take Over Tent (open for drop in activities 10am to 6pm)

11am to 12.30pm: Time To ROAR: Time is up on gender inequality in Scottish Literature with ROAR advocacy group​. Looking into gender inequality in Scottish writing and publishing, holding Scottish literature to account. Join them for the launch of new statistics reflecting the state of Scottish literature, followed by hands-on activities. They want to know what’s important to you, what barriers you have encountered, and what we could all do to make things better. Hosted by author, critic and editor Dr Lesley McDowell and doctoral researcher Christina Neuwirth. Find out more about ROAR here.

3.30pm to 5.30pm: Screen printing workshop with Helen de Main: Strident Titles on t-shirts & totes. Print your own t-shirt or tote bag emblazoned with a book title from the unique collection at Glasgow Women’s Library! Learn how to make your own DIY paper stencil and work with artist Helen de Main to hand screen print it onto your own t-shirt or tote. We have a great selection of book covers to pick from, whether your interested in women’s’ history, feminism, fiction or equalities, we have just the right ingredients to help you make your new favourite t-shirt. A range of second hand donated t-shirts will be available, but please feel free to bring along your own.

4pm to 5pm: Feminist Protest Song Writing Session with Heir of the Cursed. Taking inspiration from existing protest songs spanning the full century since the first vote for women, from Suffrage songs, liberation anthems to Nina Simone “Four Women” to Lesley Gore’s “You Don’t Own Me” this flash workshop will hopefully provoke thought, ignite hope and the powerful resonance of contemporary protest song.

Friday 24th August Programme, Take Over Tent (open for drop in activities 10am to 6pm)

12.30pm to 2pm: Story Café with GWL’s Librarian Wendy Kirk

2pm to 3pm: Feminist Protest Song Writing Session with Heir of the Cursed. Taking inspiration from existing protest songs spanning the full century since the first vote for women, from Suffrage songs, liberation anthems to Nina Simone “Four Women” to Lesley Gore’s “You Don’t Own Me” this flash workshop will hopefully provoke thought, ignite hope and the powerful resonance of contemporary protest song.

2pm to 4pm: Screen printing workshop with Helen de Main: Strident Titles on t-shirts & totes. Print your own t-shirt or tote bag emblazoned with a book title from the unique collection at Glasgow Women’s Library! Learn how to make your own DIY paper stencil and work with artist Helen de Main to hand screen print it onto your own t-shirt or tote. We have a great selection of book covers to pick from, whether your interested in women’s’ history, feminism, fiction or equalities, we have just the right ingredients to help you make your new favourite t-shirt. A range of second hand donated t-shirts will be available, but please feel free to bring along your own.

Saturday 25th August Programme, Take Over Tent (open for drop in activities 10am to 6pm)

10.30am to 12.30pm: Screen printing workshop with Helen de Main: Strident Titles on t-shirts & totes. Print your own t-shirt or tote bag emblazoned with a book title from the unique collection at Glasgow Women’s Library! Learn how to make your own DIY paper stencil and work with artist Helen de Main to hand screen print it onto your own t-shirt or tote. We have a great selection of book covers to pick from, whether your interested in women’s’ history, feminism, fiction or equalities, we have just the right ingredients to help you make your new favourite t-shirt. A range of second hand donated t-shirts will be available, but please feel free to bring along your own.

12pm to 1pm: Feminist Protest Song Writing Session with Heir of the Cursed. Taking inspiration from existing protest songs spanning the full century since the first vote for women, from Suffrage songs, liberation anthems to Nina Simone “Four Women” to Lesley Gore’s “You Don’t Own Me” this flash workshop will hopefully provoke thought, ignite hope and the powerful resonance of contemporary protest song.

2pm to 4pm: Screen printing workshop with Helen de Main: Strident Titles on t-shirts & totes. Print your own t-shirt or tote bag emblazoned with a book title from the unique collection at Glasgow Women’s Library! Learn how to make your own DIY paper stencil and work with artist Helen de Main to hand screen print it onto your own t-shirt or tote. We have a great selection of book covers to pick from, whether your interested in women’s’ history, feminism, fiction or equalities, we have just the right ingredients to help you make your new favourite t-shirt. A range of second hand donated t-shirts will be available, but please feel free to bring along your own.

2pm to 4pm: “Songs of Solace” Modern Lullaby Writing with Heir of the Cursed.

What you hear before you fall asleep. What story you tell yourself.

All your memories, interactions, failures and anxiety in an endless line parading before your eye’s, treading on your heavy mind. What would you like to hear instead? A lullaby perhaps? A self-penned lullaby about you and your world, a song that soothes you into slumber, that acknowledges the restlessness of the world we live in and gently swaddles your soul into the next day, humming the song we all have and need to sing to ourselves to get to the morning, to find the light in the darkness.

4pm to 6pm: Time To ROAR: Time is up on gender inequality in Scottish Literature​ with ROAR advocacy group. Join us for a passionate discussion of issues affecting women writers today, from how women are marketed, to how many are put forward for prizes, to reviews of their work and representation at festivals. In the chair will be author and critic Lesley McDowell, with Nyla Ahmad of BHP Comics, Lee Randall of Granite Noir crime festival and Mairi Oliver from The Lighthouse bookshop. Find out more about ROAR here.

Booking

There is no need to book, this is a drop in event and open to all. Drop in activities will take place all the time, and there are workshops and events scheduled throughout the three days, places will be first come first served. All events are free and there is no need to book. If you would like to bring a group to the tent please get in touch with us on info@womenslibrary.org.uk.