Rope Women: Online Exhibition and Activity Trails launched by National Fairground and Circus Archive
As part of Rope Women, the Archive has launched three new ways to engage with the Skinning the Cat Story: an online exhibition, in-person activity trail, and digital learning resource for young people.
This summer, visitors to Western Bank Library have seen for the first time the archive of Skinning the Cat, a ground-breaking all-female circus troupe from Bradford. Now, audiences can also explore it online.
Co-curated by the National Fairground and Circus Archive and Rebecca Truman, the Rope Women online exhibition delves further into the spectacular story of her life as an aerialist, artist and entrepreneur. Through the lens of Rebecca’s art, historic influences, and career, key inspirational themes of passion, creativity, and endurance amongst women in circus emerge.
Alongside her aerial career, Rope Women also celebrates Rebecca’s artistry in her life after retirement. The online counterpart allows for deeper exploration into Rebecca’s artistic practice. For example, costume designs in deep-zoom, studio insights to her sculpture-making process, and an exclusive audio performance of her poetry in her own voice.
"The most important thing to me is working with the Archive. Collaborating has brought so many different angles to the exhibition. The team has added so much depth and detail and diversity with ideas like these.
With their support to share it online, make it interactive, and record my voice to narrate it. It's made our story so much more available, and it's a lot more than anything I could have imagined alone."
Rebecca Truman
Co-curator of Rope Women and Founder of Skinning the Cat Aerial Theatre Company.
Such bespoke interactive elements encourage new and participatory methods of learning. Interviews uncover stories of strength and self-sufficiency amongst women in circus. Family photographs capture Becky’s childhood and early influences. Timelines help researchers map the lifespan of performances and shows. Audiences can even decorate their own virtual mask, to mirror the in-gallery experience.
As well as new audio visual content, it also enables increased accessibility. With information in alternative formats, the online offer follows web accessibility guidelines to ensure it is perceivable and operable for a range of users. Visitors can explore and revisit content at their own pace, from anywhere in the world. This includes an audio narration of each page, partly narrated by Rebecca Truman.
The online exhibition includes rich research material, widening and sustaining access to the National Fairground and Circus Archive. It serves as an inspiration source for any student, academic or independent researcher to learn more about the history of circus, performance, gender and more.
These topics are also made accessible for audiences of all ages, accompanied by an Online Activity Trail. Designed for children aged 7 to 11 years old, or Key Stage 2 learners, the trail is free and fun for anyone to explore. It includes puzzles, questions and games to enhance learning covered in the exhibition.
This trail is complemented by a distinct printed Gallery Activity Trail for in-person visitors of all ages, which encourages audiences to explore the artefacts from the Skinning the Cat collection. It includes a map, treasure hunt, quiz, and colouring-in. Pick up a free printed copy in the Exhibition Gallery.
This is the National Fairground and Circus Archive’s second online exhibition, following the launch of Sanger 200. It reflects new opportunities in digital scholarship, outreach and cultural access for the Library, inspiring research, learning and engagement within the University, region and beyond.
"The National Fairground and Circus Archive strives to offer access to its collections to a wide audience. Online exhibitions not only allow us to raise awareness of the rich histories in the archive, but also connect with people who otherwise cannot physically visit us for a variety of reasons.
They are also an excellent way to discover and explore our holdings in an interactive, autonomous manner. Through these projects, the legacy of our co-production with Becky will continue long after the exhibition in Western Bank Library ends."
Arantza Barrutia
Co-curator of Rope Women and Senior Archivist of the National Fairground and Circus Archive
Discover the full Rope Women digital series on the University Player