Dr Sally Olewe-Richards
Chair, Empowered Women UK and founder of the More In Common Nottingham Women’s Group
Sally Olewe-Richards set up the community group Empowered Women UK in 2022 to get funding to run workshops and gatherings for women from a diverse range of backgrounds around Nottingham. In 2023 they set up a Women’s More in Common group and held their first art exhibition at a local community centre in January this year. Here we speak to Sally about the build up to the exhibition and what it has meant for the community and the women involved.
The build up to the exhibition: A Beautiful Success and Growing Confidence
“In 2023, I secured funding to run women’s art wellbeing activities as part of our More In Common work in Nottingham. I reached out to Marija, a local artist, to run a workshop for the Great Get Together in June. At first, she was hesitant because she’s self-taught and creates for her own wellbeing, she also wasn’t sure about whether people would be accepting of her being Lithuanian. But after I reassured her it would be a safe space, she agreed, and we included her background on the event posters as she requested.
The event was a huge success, and the women who attended asked if the art workshops could be held more frequently. So, from October to December 2024, we paid Marija to lead a fortnightly session for us at a local community center, with 6 to 9 women attending. We had great feedback from them about how it was boosting their confidence and well-being. Marija, too, was growing in confidence and suggested we showcase the women’s art. So, we worked with the community center, and in January, we held an exhibition for the Great Winter Get Together.
Exhibiting the Work: A Celebration of Community and Art for the Great Winter Get Together
We had the small ‘opening’ event, where we provided soft drinks and a chance for people from the community to come together and socialise. The artwork is spread across the cafe and hall at the centre and it will be in place for a few weeks.
Everyone has been really thrilled and it’s helped to build confidence. It’s a very white British area, so seeing artwork from a range of local women, including those from Ukraine and Lithuania, has helped make them feel more accepted and created a different dialogue within the centre. At the event there were people with physical and learning disabilities, those from the black African community, LGBT+ attendees and a range of ages from a baby to 70s.
One of our attendees is here from Ukraine under refugee status. She really enjoyed the session and it gave her and Marija (the art workshop leader) a chance to converse in Russian together, which they both greatly appreciated. Kateryna’s work has been very popular and admired at the community centre cafe and she is keen to do more sessions.
For me, I’ve grown up in this area but haven’t been involved with the community much until recently. Partnering with the community centre to run the art wellbeing sessions and then this exhibition for Great Winter Get Together has allowed me to feel a greater sense of belonging and to get to know more people in the area.
It’s all been really positive and well received and the community centre manager has said the art work has created a great talking point for people coming to the centre. It’s also attracted a few people who’d not used the centre before but went along for the event and have now started to use the cafe (including myself!).
Looking Ahead: What’s Next for the More In Common Nottingham Women’s Group?
The manager of the community centre is delighted with the outcome of the exhibition, so it’s been really positive and we hope to run a few more across February and March. We will be running more art well-being sessions as we know there is a desire for them. I have been into the community centre cafe 1-2 times a week since the event and recognised people to chat to, whereas before I never went in there.
For one of the women from the group, it has led to her taking on a public artwork piece at a local hospital:
I loved the abstract art sessions so much so it has given me the confidence and inspiration to paint a picture for our local children’s hospital, in remembrance of my late mum who worked there. The joy of art and sharing it to make others feels better is just a gift.
After connecting with Kateryna, from Ukraine, and becoming aware of the need for women from Ukraine to have more befriending support, we have applied for funding to see if we can pay her on a freelance basis to run a project from March 2025 – we are waiting to hear the funding outcome. Whether we’re successful or not, it’s a nice outcome for her that she’s made new friends and knows that we believe and trust in her abilities.