Stadium for the Future

Stadium for the Future
If I can't dance I don't want to be part of your revolution

Photos top left to right by Claire Griffiths, Jessie Leong, Claire Griffiths, Jessie Leong, Jessie Leong, Jemima Yong

About

stadiumfuture.space is both a proposal, provocation and occupation of space. It is a pre-proposal for an alternate future space, not another concrete monolith but a stadium to re-imagine environmental recovery and reciprocity, a self-sustaining ecosystem of women's doing, creating, training, playing and manifesting a different world. During and as part of the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 football championship in July women from across the UK gathered in fields and underpasses to dance the stadium into existence at site-specific women-only raves. The dances have been specifically curated with women who actively make space/fight/advocate for women. The curation is designed to reflect and celebrate the diversity of networks and activism past, present and looking to the future. Often without a seat at the table women have found their own innovative ways to create space, solidarity and opportunity from DIY social spaces to underground support collectives & music scenes. stadiumfuture.space is the flowering weed that grows through the crack in the concrete, fortified by the unseen networks below. It is a ferocious celebration of the ignored.

A dance to celebrate our rightful place on land

A dance to celebrate all those who danced before us

A dance to celebrate our rightful belonging

A dance to celebrate our past, present and future

Credits

Anna Smith, Cis O'Boyle, Rachel Anderson, Caroline Teng, Jeanette Scott, Sophie Fishwick, Nadia Gilani, Xīlhu Ayebaitariworiyo Ese Omorse Ese, Naomi Jackson, Caterina Loriggio, DJ Texas Ranger, Zerritha Brown, Jemima Sam-Russel, Fiona Boundy, Ludo, Naomi Shika, Hattie Kongaunruan, Aretha George, Sonia Ferdousi, Georgina Bentley, Ashleigh Jones, Diane Shrouder Johnson, Patricia Wharton, Sujata Banjeree, Sharon Walker, Kristine Wellington, Sejal Majithia-Jaswal, Dr Sylvia Traverse, Phoebe Robinson, Emma Powell, Eve Hedderwick Turner, DJ Cybernova, DJ Ayebaitari, DJ Cheza, DJ Sheba Q, DJ Missy P, MC Icykal, Jazmin Morris, Rifke Sadleir, Charmian Griffin, Jessie Leong, Claire Griffiths, Candice Purwin, Deni Francis, Ladies of the Midnight Blue - Hannabiell Sanders and Yilis del Carmen Suriel, Deb Mawby, Eternal Taal, Trinjan, Ekhaya Empowerment, DIAS (Wigan), Well Women centre, True Colours, More than Words, Liz Whittall, Chris Hill, Sophie Wozencraft, Phatbass Trumpet, Margaret (Tinny) Shepherd, Margaret ( Whity) Whitworth, Diane Mills, Natalie Constantenopal, Claire Burnett, Carrie Hamilton, Lucy Van de Wiel, Raksha Patel, Nargis Alizadeh, Riffat Batool, Sejal Majithia-Jaswal, Cherece John, Sharon Walker, Jemima Yong, Hinda Mohamed, Noor Salih, Sithule Moyo, Patricia Wharton, Aditi, Akhvinder, Akruti, Chrishna, Dhrisha Maya, Meena, Rabby, Ruhi, Shalu, Showmi, Tulani, Humraaz, Jai Turner, Firoza Mohmed, Salma Saleh, Liz Gill, ‘What do we call the group’ and IW Sisterhood

This project is part of the arts and heritage programme celebrating the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022. The programme is made possible thanks to National Lottery Players with funding through Arts Council England.

*In 1931 Emma Goldman wrote "Living My Life" in which she described an encounter with a young boy who referred to her dancing as unbefitting and dishonorable for someone promoting the anarchist Cause. Goldman stated, "I did not believe that a Cause which stood for a beautiful ideal, for anarchism, for release and freedom from convention and prejudice, should demand the denial of life and joy." She then went on to say, "If I can't dance, I don't want to be part of your revolution." Emma Goldman 1869-1940