A mini-festival comes to the Subscription Rooms on Saturday March 19, highlighting gender imbalance in the UK grassroots music scene, with numerous events in the day time and an exciting gig in the evening featuring firm festival favourites Zion Train, writes Ade Blair. 

The event is a launch party for 'Where Art the Women?', which is an inclusive, not-for-profit project organisation that aims to highlight, challenge and help address the gender imbalance in the UK grassroots music scene with a collaborative mix of art, music, spoken word, theatre, film, workshops, discussion and information.

From noon, there will be an art exhibition, films and workshops as well as busking on the forecourt. The organisers are asking people attending the daytime events to give a donation/ pay what they can afford.

Starting at 7.30pm, there will be a feast of music and spoken word featuring My Mate Dave, Bashema, Laura Taylor, DJ Tiddles, and DJ MIa.

Live music will be provided by festival favourites Muddy Summers and the Dirty Field Whores who describe their music as “radical, feisty, folkpunkswingpop”, plus the legendary Oxford based dub Reggae/dance band Zion Train, who have consistently released music and toured from 1992 to the present day.

Gail Stacy, event organiser and creator/director of Where Art The Women said: “As a woman musician, event organiser, festival venue owner and live music lover, I have experienced the gender imbalance, what that brings with it, and why it exists from all sides. I've been part of tackling the issue for the last few years, with some success, but so much more needs to be done, hence this project.”

Where Art The Women? Launch Event at Stroud Subscription Rooms Saturday March 19

What should be a fun, informative and thought-provoking event starts at midday and finishes at 1am. The Sub Rooms cafe and bar will be open at appropriate times. Tickets are available from the Subscription Rooms box office.