Citizens Theatre Celebrates International Women's Day With Inspirational Community Groups

Citizens Theatre has a long history of working with inspirational women's groups in the community and today (Thursday 8 March) they are running a celebratory day at local Gorbals initiative 'Tomorrow's Women' as part of their year-round creative programme, working alongside women who are engaging in alternatives to custodial services.

The group, led by staff from Citizens Learning, will be joined by guest speaker DJ Susie McGuire, singing power ballads, including songs written and recorded by the women, sharing poetry, and creating statement mirrors in support of gender parity. They will be making white roses in support of International Women's Day to mark the #MeToo campaign and encouraging others to #PressforProgress.

The team will be running a similar celebratory event on Friday 9 March at the Chara Centre, a residential service supporting women who are experiencing homelessness, where the Citizens Learning team has delivered a creative residency for the last six years. The 4th edition of THE C WORD magazine, written and created by women residing at the centre, will be presented at the event.

As part of the theatre's 'We Are Citizens' £1.6 million public fundraising appeal they are sending out an SOS message via social media on International Women's Day asking people to make donations to #SaveOurStatues and also share stories about women from the city or the stage, who have inspired them with support from playwright, screenwriter and director, Zinnie Harris and singer Kathleen MacInnes.

The theatre's four statue muses represent Comedy, Dance, Music, and Tragedy. The statues are needing saved as part of the Citizens Theatre's ambitious redevelopment with plans to move them from the building's foyer to outside on the front of the new building in Gorbals Street.

Judith Kilvington, Executive Director of the Citizens Theatre, said: "Our work generates a safe space within which women can explore issues that impact their lives, so reinforcing a shared female commonality. Our artistic interventions, including Tomorrow's Women and our residency at the Chara Centre, are designed to generate positive change and personal development. We are delighted to be celebrating the impact of this transformational work on International Women's Day.

"We are also very pleased that a number of high profile women are supporting We Are Citizens, including Elaine C Smith and Blythe Duff. They are helping us to send out a vital SOS message to our patrons, learning participants, alums, and the people of Glasgow and beyond, to help save our building including our four muse statues. Our building is now showing its age and we need to act today to ensure that we're still here for our community tomorrow including our inspirational women projects. We want a Citizens Theatre that everyone can be proud of and we can't do this without others' help."

Actress and comedian Elaine C Smith, an Ambassador for the Citizens, said:

"I'm one of the Ambassadors for the fundraising campaign for the Citizens Theatre's redevelopment campaign. A wonderful theatre, a wonderful cultural artistic hub and really, really important to the fabric of the city of Glasgow. This campaign to get it all refurbished and rebuilt is just wonderful and to be right in the heart of the city as well is wonderful too."

Actress Blythe Duff, We Are Citizens supporter, said:

"The Citizens has been such an important part of my life. I've been an actress now for 35 years, but I used to come as a child to the Citizens. I first appeared on the Citz stage back in 1995 and what has always struck me when I step out on that stage is the intimacy of the auditorium. To know that the building will be transformed but still maintain its Victorian roots is very important to me. The Citizens Theatre is a key character in Glasgow's story and that's why I'm supporting the We Are Citizens campaign."

For further information about Citizens Learning work with women in the community please go to: http://www.citz.co.uk/take-part/theatre/projects-for-women

For further information about the We Are Citizens campaign, or to make a donation please go to: https://wearecitizens.citz.co.uk/we-are-asking-for-support/

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