Faculty ideates Women in the Arts initiative 2026

The TUT Research Niche Area: Artivism as a Tool to Combat Gender-Based Violence(s) hosted a collaborative workshop for Faculty of Arts & Design staff to shape the Women in the Arts initiative 2026.

The workshop, hosted on 16 March, introduced a bold concept: a programme that celebrates and foregrounds the contributions of women in the arts, with a special emphasis on African women artists. It offered a real opportunity for staff to shape the initiative across the year by sharing ideas, feedback and visions for how it could unfold.

Participants reflected on what the initiative could offer within the Faculty, envisioning activities that align with existing teaching, creative practice and scholarly work. The goal was clear: ensure that Women in the Arts resonates with the interests, needs and priorities of the Arts Campus community.

To shape the narrative, staff were invited to respond to key questions about what would be useful, what the initiative should stand for, what support women in the faculty need, what Women in the Arts means to them, and what would make the initiative meaningful. The ideas gathered here will guide the future direction of the programme.

A central thread of the discussion was a call for celebratory interventions rooted in care and community, preferable to the idea of “support” alone, which can carry connotations of weakness. Attendees also emphasised the importance of planning that looks to the present and the next generation, rather than dwelling on the past, and highlighted the transformative power of collaboration.

The workshop was hosted by Drs Nicola Haskins and Karina Lemmer, co-chairs of the niche area.

Staff in the Faculty of Arts and Design engaging to shape what the Women in the Arts initiative for 2026 should look like.