Rope Women

Rope Women

From Monday 20 July - 13 December 2026

An exhibition on the contribution of Skinning the Cat to the history of aerial performance and the role of women in circus. 

Skinning the Cat was a ground-breaking, all-female circus troupe from Bradford, West Yorkshire. From 1988 to 2003 the company was at the vanguard of the contemporary circus movement in Britain. 

Bradford, in the decades of the 1960s and 1970s, was at the forefront of the international rebellious political and creative scene linked with the peace movement, women's liberation, gay rights, anti-racism, and revolutionary changes in all aspects of the arts. This awakening social consciousness was paralleled by the creative openness of the contemporary circus movement. The combination of these factors provided the perfect environment for the new, radical performance, from which Skinning the Cat emerged.     

Rope Women follows the story of Skinning the Cat and its founder and artistic director Rebecca Truman. The exhibition explores the lived, female experience as an athletic performer and entrepreneur through Rebecca’s eyes. It showcases the passion, creativity and endurance required to succeed in the professional circus industry, and the arc that follows on after retiring from the limelight of performance.  

Rope Women is a claim for fair representation and the legitimisation of the contribution of women to the historical narrative, their identity and presence in every role in society. 

The narrative of the exhibition is brought to life through the costumes, sculptures and poems of Rebecca Truman. They embody the ghost of her past circus career in her current practice as an artist and author.  

This exhibition has been co-curated by the National Fairground and Circus Archive and Rebecca Truman with an introduction by Professor Vanessa Toulmin. 

Opening hours:

Monday to Friday:

• 9am to 5pm (until 20 September)
• 9am to 7pm (from 21 September)

Saturday and Sunday - 10am to 6pm

Excluding Bank Holidays

Free, open to the public. No booking required.  

Access:

The Exhibition Gallery is located on Level 4, Western Bank Library. For step-free access, enter via the mezzanine entrance. Toilets are located on Level 3. For step-free access, enter via the ground floor entrance.

The National Fairground and Circus Archive strive to make our exhibitions inclusive and welcoming to all. Please get in touch with any questions ahead of your visit: 0114 222 7200, library@sheffield.ac.uk 

Find further information about access, parking and maps on our website.