FAQs

PROCESSIONS is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take part in the creation of a living sculpture artwork will celebrate one hundred years of votes for women.

In 1918, the Representation of the People Act gave the first British women the right to vote and stand for public office. One hundred years on, Artichoke is inviting women* and girls across the UK to come and mark this historic moment as part of a living portrait of women in the 21^st century.

On Sunday 10^th of June, women and girls in Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh and London will walk together as part of this celebratory mass participation artwork. On arrival participants will receive cotton wraps in Green, White or Violet, the colours of the suffrage movement. Participants will be organised into bands according to their colour and together will appear as a flowing river of colour through the city streets. At the centre of each procession will be handmade contemporary banners echoing those carried by the suffrage movement, which participants will make in advance of 10^th June (see below).

*those who identify as women or non-binary

Sunday 10^th of June

2018 marks 100 years since two landmark moments in the history of women’s suffrage – on 6th February 1918, the Representation of the People Act gave the first British women the right to vote and on 21st November 1918 the Parliament (Qualification of Women) Act gave the first British women the right to stand for public office. PROCESSIONS, which is part of an ongoing year of celebrations, sits between these two historic acts. It is also taking place in June as the suffrage marches tended to be organised in the summer. For example on 13 June 1908, over 10,000 women processed from the Embankment to the Albert Hall. Likewise on 17 June 1911, the Women’s Coronation Procession saw some 60,000 women carrying banners marched from Westminster to the Albert Hall demanding that women be given the vote.

PROCESSIONS will take place across the UK, with women and girls up and down the country taking part in an extensive creative programme to design and make hundreds of banners. The banners will be part of the PROCESSIONS, which will take place on Sunday 10th of June in Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh and London.

Further information about the PROCESSIONS route in each city will be sent to registered participants nearer to the event date.

Yes, they will. Major roads in the four capital cities will be closed under the standard procedures for such events, carefully planned in advance with all the relevant authorities.

PROCESSIONS is an invitation to women* and girls nationwide to celebrate their right to vote and how that was achieved by becoming part of a living portrait of women in the 21st century on 10th June. Men are welcome to take part in banner-making and other activities leading up to the event on 10th June and are also invited to mark this historic moment by giving voice to and supporting the celebration.

*those who identify as women or non-binary

Yes, children are welcome. Just tell us how many are in your group when you register.

PROCESSIONS is an invitation to women and girls nationwide to celebrate their right to vote and voice their concerns and hopes for the future. Whilst the artwork is a live portrait of women and girls, men are welcome to support the event by joining the audience to watch on the day.

There are multiple ways to join in PROCESSIONS locally and nationally. You can:

• Sign up to take part in one of the four processions taking place in the UK capitals at processions.co.uk
• Join one of the community-led banner-making workshops listed on the PROCESSIONS website
• Host your own banner-making workshop for your organisation or local community using the PROCESSIONS toolkit for groups
• Make your own banner at home using the PROCESSIONS toolkit for individuals
• Spread the word using the hashtag #PROCESSIONS2018

You can wear what you like. When you arrive, you will be given a cotton wrap in either Green, White or Violet to wear over your clothes.

Make sure to dress for the weather and wear comfortable shoes.

Once you have registered we will send you regular updates about the project and keep you informed about meeting points and timings.

Between January and June, individuals and community groups up and down the UK will take part in an extensive creative programme to design and make banners to bring with them on Sunday 10^th June. You can make a banner in one of the following ways:

• Join one of the community-led banner-making workshops listed on the PROCESSIONS website
• Host your own banner-making workshop for your organisation or local community using the PROCESSIONS toolkit for groups
• Make your own banner at home using the PROCESSIONS toolkit for individuals

Artists have been commissioned by 100 selected organisations and community groups across the UK to make 100 banners. The full list of artists and organisations taking part are listed on the website.

Yes, tell us what your needs are when you register. We will also share accessibility information on the website.

PROCESSIONS will be funded by a mixture of public and private funding. It is commissioned by 14-18 NOW: WWI Centenary Art Commisisons, with support from the National Lottery through Arts Council England and the Heritage Lottery Fund, and from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. Additional funders include NatWest, Hogan Lovells and the New Zealand High Commission. Artichoke is still raising funds for the project.

A range of specially created PROCESSIONS “rewards” commemorating this once-in-a-lifetime event are available as part of your registration package when you register to participate in the artwork at www.processions.co.uk. All the proceeds will support Artichoke’s work as a charitable organisation who create public artworks which are free and open to all.

It is Artichoke’s intention to tour an exhibition and archive the banners created by PROCESSIONS’ 100 partner organisations and institutions.