Shoreditch Town Hall has long been a hub for creativity and activism in East London. This year, the women-led venue is marking International Women’s Day with an inspiring mix of events that celebrate the stories, talents, and histories of women past and present. We spoke with Cultural Programme Manager Susannah Bramwell about the significance of these events and the ongoing work to uplift female voices in the community.
Shoreditch Town Hall has a rich history of activism and culture. How does its legacy influence the programming choices you make, particularly for events like International Women’s Day?
We do think a lot about the building’s legacy when programming – we’re always really excited about creative work that makes use of our history or the atmosphere of our spaces. For example, in 2023 we programmed WOODHILL by LUNG Theatre in our Council Chamber. Pushing the form of documentary and physical theatre, WOODHILL was the explosive true story of HMP Woodhill and the crisis facing prisons. The Council Chamber felt perfect for this piece, given its history of being the space for debates, inquests, and important decision making for Shoreditch. For International Women’s Day we wanted to platform this rich history – from a Town Hall founded on the municipal principle to a thriving arts venue! So, we’re holding a mix of events including two history tours, an Introduction to Bollywood Dance Workshop, Book Launch, and stalls from local groups platforming Hackney’s history.
The Shoreditch Town Hall History Tour will highlight trailblazing women like Sylvia Pankhurst and Henrietta Girling OBE. What do you think their stories can teach us about the role of women in shaping East London’s history?
Sylvia Pankhurst and Henrietta Girling were both formidable women who played crucial roles in shaping the social fabric of East London. Pankhurst’s work in the East End extended beyond the suffrage movement; she developed a volunteer-led mother and baby clinic, ‘cost price’ canteens tackling food shortages and inflation, and the brilliant East London Toy Factory, which employed local working-class women and paid them a fair wage. Similarly, Henrietta Girling had a dedication to social care and supporting vulnerable people – she was awarded the OBE in 1937 “for public services in Shoreditch”. These women’s commitment to improving conditions for local people reminds us that women have long been at the forefront of radical change, pushing for a more just and equal society. By creating spaces in East London where local people could thrive, they show us how community leadership is vital in defining a place’s identity.
Shoreditch Town Hall has always been a gathering place for change-makers. Through initiatives like Local Lounge, our free space initiative for local grassroots groups, we actively support community leadership, providing a platform for local organisations, creatives, and activists to run events, workshops, and meetings. The histories of women like Pankhurst and Girling, which we spotlight on our history tour, remind us that leadership takes many forms—and that community spaces like ours are essential in carrying forward their spirit of resilience, activism, and care.
What was the inspiration behind curating an International Women’s Day programme that includes both a historical tour and an immersive Introduction to Bollywood Dance Workshop?
Our Head of Programme, Ellie Browning, wanted to celebrate the women that work at Shoreditch Town Hall! We are a majority female
team, and all our Senior Management Team are women – and so it felt exciting to ask the team about their other passions and if they would be happy to share them for our International Women’s Day programme. Because of my interest in history, I will be leading the history tours and have also invited Susan Doe to launch her new book: Women from Hackney’s History volume two – featuring 115 women whose stories illuminate the history of Hackney.
Devashree Pande, our Head of Operations, started her professional career as a dance artist, teacher and choreographer in 2006 with the SHIAMAK Group, the largest Bollywood dance entertainment and education academy in the world. She will be using her 14 years of experience teaching stars such as Deepika Padukone and Katrina Kaif, to teach the Introduction to Bollywood Dance Class. We’re so lucky to have such talented women in our team!
Bollywood dance is known for its vibrancy and storytelling. How do you see movement-based workshops like this contributing to a wider conversation about empowerment and self-expression?
Bollywood dance is a celebration of both the Hindi film industry in India, and the wider South Asian culture. The workshop Devashree has created will be filled with expression and storytelling – helping participants feel like they are part of their very own Bollywood musical. I think movement-based workshops like this can offer a powerful way for women to connect with their bodies, express themselves freely, and build confidence in a supportive environment – helping us reclaim space and feel present in a world that often doesn’t allow us any space at all.
Women-led venues play a crucial role in the cultural landscape. How does Shoreditch Town Hall work to amplify female voices and provide a platform for women creatives throughout the year?
Platforming women and non-binary led work is a big priority for us when we build our season programmes. We look to support this work with both on stage representation, so amplifying women’s voices, but also by actively working with women and non-binary led companies and creatives. We’re committed to supporting their work at all stages of their careers. A great example is Queer Noise, a women/non-binary led music and poetry collective we’ve been working with for the best part of a year. They first performed as part of our Summer in The Ditch programme which was a lovely, intimate gig. And next week they’ll be taking the main stage in The Assembly Hall! We always try to support emerging talent by offering opportunities to journey through our building and look to build long term relationships so we can support the sustainable development of women creatives over several years.
From your perspective, how has the role of women in East London’s creative scene evolved, and what challenges still need to be addressed?
There are more producers, directors, and curators who are women shaping the experimental and diverse cultural landscape of East London than ever before. Women are not only creating work but also leading the way in redefining the artistic spaces where that work is made and shared – from traditional venues to pub back rooms, carparks, and other public spaces. I feel a growing sense that producers and artists in East London are striving to redefine artistic expression, both on stage and behind the scenes. There are still challenges – the gender pay gap remains “stubbornly high” according to the TUC, as does the expectation of unpaid or underpaid work, particularly in producing and production roles. Balancing creative careers with caring responsibilities also remains a significant, often invisible, burden. I am a member of the East London Fawcett Society, and our current campaign is to End Salary History to help reduce the gender pay gap – so change is happening, but more work can be done! We must keep pushing for a more equitable and sustainable creative industry—one where women are fully supported to thrive.
Shoreditch Town Hall is known for opening up hidden or lesser-seen spaces during its tours. Can you give us a sneak peek into any intriguing areas or stories that attendees might uncover on the International Women’s Day tour?
If you come along to a History Tour you’ll get to roam around The Ditch – which we open to the public less often than some of our other spaces. This warren of basement spaces running the entire footprint of the building has been deliberately left ‘as found’ – so there are some great original features to be found down there, like old ovens, a huge safe door, Victorian taps, and a rumoured ghost…
Looking ahead, how do you hope to expand Shoreditch Town Hall’s cultural programming to further engage and celebrate underrepresented voices in the arts and community?
We’re hoping to continue our Summer in The Ditch programme in the years to come – this is a key way in which we can support emerging artists, and provide an engine room for work that might develop into mid-scale performances in our Council Chamber or Assembly Hall. We’re also going to continue our Local Lounge offer – we think it’s vital that local people can make use of such a wonderful venue on their doorstep. Continuing to create a celebratory free or affordable artistic and community offer is really important to us. To do this we’re focused on building local partnerships and collaborations with other artistic venues and companies to broaden the work we can support and present.
