Lectures & Events

AGM at 6.30 pm followed by lecture at 7.30 pm

The international art scene has finally woken up to address the historical imbalances which have kept female artists far too long in the shadows. Art historian Linda Nochlin’s seminal 1971 essay, ironically titled "Why Have There Been No Great Women Artists?" promised to be a transformative moment in art history, but male artists continued to dominate the narrative. Roll forward five decades and female artists are finally being given the attention and respect they richly deserve…It’s not that there’s been a shortage of female artists-there have been hundreds over the centuries, but while many have been influential during their lifetimes, they fell into obscurity because museums did not consider it necessary to collect their works and academic studies left them out. In the wake of the #MeToo movement, museum directors, curators and academics are making up for lost ground. In her lecture, "Let’s Hear it for The Girls", Cindy Polemis looks at some of the leading female artists working today who should be household names.

Having spent many years as presenter and producer for the BBC World Service, art historian Cindy Polemis is an official guide at Tate Modern and Tate Britain as well as many other art institutions. She will lead us on a discovery tour of contemporary female British artists who should be on our radar.