Featured Work

Physic Garden

The Physic Garden is a gift created by women, for women. An artwork, an argument and a space to belong.

We said that it would take seven years to build and that it would last for a hundred years. We have worked intimately for six and are delighted to be celebrating it opening to the public this year.

Physic Garden Network

​​A website rooted in a garden, sharing medicinal plant introductions, new digital artwork, learning and friendship. Created through a collaboration with a hundred women throughout 2021 and still evolving.

​Women on the Water

Nine waterside audio companions made by women using pocket technology offering a moment of belonging to download or stream. Commissioned to compliment a report for Canal and River Trust who invited us to look below the surface and into the realities of life by water for women.

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

A proposal, a provocation, an occupation. During the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 football championship, women gathered in fields and underpasses to dance the stadium into existence at site-specific women-only raves.

NB Selina Cooper

Selina Cooper is a hand built 55ft motor-less narrow boat conceived, designed and built in collaboration with Humraaz and named after a local suffragist. Launched in Burnley on the Leeds to Liverpool Canal in 2016 to provide a residential and workshop space for Idle Women's inaugural touring project On The Water.

Power Tools

A series of building tutorials for every woman that give instructions on basic DIY tasks like changing a lightbulb, smashing a window, painting a wall and using a drill. Created in St Helens in 2019 through a collaboration with women in refuge the videos which are available on youtube went viral during the lockdown of 20-21.

Graphic Novel

Idle Women on the Water A brick throwin',hijab-wearin', hairy-legged, space takin' odyssey by Candice Purwin tells the story of the Selina Cooper and the Idle Women tour of North West England. 

Past Work

Helen

From 2016-2019, Idle Women, Heart of Glass and ANU Productions were granted the Arts Council Ambition for Excellence Award to create a major new partnership work in St Helens.
The resultant project, Helen, addressed a deep and radical need to dismantle in order to reveal, expose and rebuild.

 Queer Arts North Showcase -
​Leeds Playhouse 2020

Developed in collaboration with musician Sophie Fishwick and performer Jill Raymond in winter 2019 as an early iteration for Petrichor. A performance created for Queer Arts North showcase at Leeds Playhouse featuring a galactic collaboration with playwright Mojisola Adebayo and her character 'Mrs'.

Izhaar

Izhaar  is a statement of creative expression through details of our day-to day. Created through a process of workshops in collaboration with Humraaz, Izhaar was a single promenade performance telling pivotal stories through live illustrations. Held in Bangor Street community centre in 2016.