University Women In The Arts Announces Major New Project For Female Arts Students To Help Eradicate Bullying, Abuse And Harassment In The Arts

University Women In the Arts, the mentoring scheme to help improve the transition for women from studying the arts to working in the arts, has announced a major new project for 2018 - 2019.

The ten-month project aims to help female arts student to deal with, tackle and help eradicate abuse, bullying and harassment in the arts.

Project partners include Gen Pol, the think tank on gender equality who recently published the first policy paper on how sexual education can prevent abuse, and the project will be advised by Professor Pamela Burnard, Professor of Arts, Creativities and Education at the University of Cambridge and one of the world's leading experts on arts education.

Co-editors of the book to be published as a result of the project include Jingan Young, who recently edited Foreign Goods, a book of work by British East Asian playwrights published by Oberon Books, and was on the BBC's New Talent Hot List in 2017, and Titilola Dawudu, Learning and Participation Manager at the Ovalhouse Theatre who was recently selected for the Artistic Director Leadership Programme's "Leaders of Tomorrow" scheme.

Jennifer Tuckett, Director of University Women in the Arts said: "Research conducted as part of recent discussions around abuse in the arts has shown it is often particularly those at the start of their careers in the arts who are affected by abuse. However, so far, much of the recent discussion around this issue in the arts has focused on those already working in the industry not on students. We hope our 10 month project will allow us to provide a platform for female arts students to have their voices heard and share their views and experiences of abuse, bullying and harassment, as well as providing a toolkit in partnership with Gen Pol to help teachers at school and university level to equip their students to deal with this issue and help tackle and eradicate bullying, abuse and harassment in the arts. In terms of equipping the next generation going into the arts, education has a huge role to play in tackling this issue".

Lilia Giugni, CEO of Gen Pol said: ""As shown by GenPol's latest report, over 50 million European women have experienced physical, psychological or sexual violence in their lifetimes, and education is crucial to prevent these abuses. While the #metoo campaign has made the world aware of the extent of gender-based violence, we now need to move the debate forward and talk solutions. Wonderful resources for effective education in this area already exist, and we do not need to reinvent the wheel. However, we do need outlets and networks to exchange good practices, and more funding for research in this area. Our collaboration with University Women in the Arts is an exciting step forward in this direction".

The project begins with a call out to female arts students studying at universities across the UK or who have graduated in the last two years to submit work inspired by their views and experiences of abuse, bullying and harassment, either in the arts or more generally.

Chosen submissions will be published in a book to provide a platform for female arts students voices to be heard, alongside a tooklit for use by teachers at school and university level or for use by students on their own to help equip students to deal with, tackle and help eradicate bullying, abuse and harassment in the arts.

Work should be a maximum of 10 minutes long, can take any form of creative writing, and can be submitted to submissions@universitywomeninthearts.com

Chosen writers will have the opportunity to be mentored by the editors and University Women in the Arts on their writing.

Applicants should either be female arts students currently studying at foundation, undergraduate or postgraduate level at any university in the UK or be female arts graduates who graduated in the last two years from any arts course at university level in the UK.

Selected work can be published anonymously if preferred due to the sensitive nature of this subject matter.

University Women in the Arts was set up in 2016 to help improve the transition for women from studying the arts to working in the arts. In 2016, UCAS figures showed 63% of arts undergraduate students were female, whilst at the UK's largest arts university over 70% of students were female. However, British Theatre Consortium, Freelands Foundation and other research has shown only around 30% of professional playwrights, directors and artists are female. University Women in the Arts mentors include Kate Bryan, former Director of The Fine Art Society, presenter, art historian and winner of the Women of the Future Arts and Culture Award; Caroline Cooper Charles, film producer, former Head of Film at Creative England and CEO of Universal Spirits; Suzie de Rohan Wilner, CEO of fashion company Toast; Anne Edyvean, producer and Head of BBC Writersroom; Vicky Featherstone, Artistic Director of The Royal Court Theatre; Amanda Foreman, historian, columnist and presenter including of the recent BBC series "The Ascent of Women"; Elizabeth Freestone, former Artistic Director of Pentabus Theatre and co-author of The Guardian survey into women in theatre; Charlotte Higgins, Chief Culture Writer at The Guardian and co-author of The Guardian's survey into women in theatre; Pinky Lilani, founder of the Women of the Future Programme; Sue Parrish, Artistic Director, Sphinx Theatre Company; Kate Rowland, founder of BBC Writersroom, the BBC's new writing department, and the former Creative Director of New Writing at the BBC, Head of BBC Radio Drama and Commissioner of Radio 3's The Wire; Jude Kelly, founder of the WOW Festivals and Artistic Director of the Southbank Centre; Tanya Seghatchian, film producer of films including the Harry Potter series and My Summer of Love and former Head of the Film Fund at the UK Film Council.

For more information on the University Women in the Arts scheme and to join the mailing list to be kept informed of future work and events please go to: www.universitywomeninthearts.com