Electric Dreams - a Festival of Womanpower
CELEBRATING WOMEN'S ROLE IN ENERGY
You are invited to take part in Electric Dreams, a 2024 festival of womanpower to mark the centenary of the Electrical Association for Women (EAW), founded on 12 November 1924.
Our aims are to:
You are invited to take part in Electric Dreams, a 2024 festival of womanpower to mark the centenary of the Electrical Association for Women (EAW), founded on 12 November 1924.
Our aims are to:
- To enlighten participants about energy generation and use
- To highlight women’s pioneering role in the electricity industry
- To spread awareness of the climate crisis and the measures needed to reduce its impact
- To celebrate and inspire the women shaping our futures
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The year long celebrations include aspirations to work on three different strands of activity: History/heritage; outreach/communication/public engagement; campaign/action.
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History and Heritage
EAW has a long and rich history and has been a pivotal organisation for social change, supporting women to 'escape the drudgery' (in the words of Caroline Haslett) of everyday domestic tasks and allow them time and space to enter the workforce, become independent, and follow their dreams. We would like to explore this history, bringing to light the stories of the organisation, and use them to inspire the next generation of engineers and empowered women. We would also like to digitise the publication that the organisation produced for many years, called The Electric Age, to enable it to be accessible to research scholars and others interested in this period of history. |
Outreach/Communication/Public Engagement
This strand of activity will bring the stories that we uncover about EAW to the public in an accessible way, and allow us to engage with the general popluation on the issues that matter today, related to the use of energy. We will create a new set of teatowels - mirroring the communication method of the past - to illuminate the key messages around renewable energy and sustainability, and we will do this with a view to encouraging more young people and young women in particular to consider careers in engineering and the energy sector. We will engage with museums, to get our stories to the public in an engaging way. We will create theatre and participatory experiences. And we are hoping to encourage the erection of up to 10 new Blue Plaques to commemorate the work of the women of WES and EAW. |
Campaign/Action
Here we will look at what we imagine the EAW would focus their attention on today, and update the conversation accordingly. Renewable energy; the cost of energy and of data storage; the choice and use of home appliances; the repairability of appliances; the skills shortage...these are issues that we will get involved in, and will work with collaborators to devise campaigns, surveys, or activities that bring these issues to life. |
Electric Dreams Festival, November 2024
Taking place in November 2024, this festival will span two weeks and include events in a number of UK locations. London will host a conference in collaboration with the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) to discuss the past, present and future of the EAW and current day issues related to renewable energy, and the role of women.
Newcastle - here we hope to create an outreach event which will include some theatricals!
Bristol - the All Electric House will be the focus of the Bristol event
Glasgow - potential here to uncover some of the archived history of EAW in collaboration with local museums
Around the Country: the erection of temporary or permanent blue plaques to commemorate and celebrate the work of the individuals who made the Women's Engineering Society, and the Electrical Association for Women, a reality.
Taking place in November 2024, this festival will span two weeks and include events in a number of UK locations. London will host a conference in collaboration with the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) to discuss the past, present and future of the EAW and current day issues related to renewable energy, and the role of women.
Newcastle - here we hope to create an outreach event which will include some theatricals!
Bristol - the All Electric House will be the focus of the Bristol event
Glasgow - potential here to uncover some of the archived history of EAW in collaboration with local museums
Around the Country: the erection of temporary or permanent blue plaques to commemorate and celebrate the work of the individuals who made the Women's Engineering Society, and the Electrical Association for Women, a reality.
Get involved – together we can shape the future!
For further details contact Henrietta Heald at electricdreams@cloudesley.co.uk or Dawn Bonfield at dawnbonfield (at) btinternet.com
For further details contact Henrietta Heald at electricdreams@cloudesley.co.uk or Dawn Bonfield at dawnbonfield (at) btinternet.com
