#5WomenArtists: Women's History Month at BAM

By Sue Yung

To raise awareness of Women’s History Month (March), in 2016 the National Museum of Women in the Arts started a social media campaign—#5WomenArtists—asking people to share examples of female artists by posting on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. This month, BAM is participating by highlighting some of the many early, pioneering women who have appeared on its stages since it opened in 1861. While the national campaign focuses on artists, many civic and business leaders have also been presented at BAM—not only an arts center, but frequently a gathering place for public events over the years.

BAM’s #5WomenArtists spotlights kicked off on Mar 1 with an Instagram post of singer Sissieretta Jones who performed at BAM in 1893. On subsequent Fridays, it has also acknowledged the accomplishments of actor Sarah Bernhardt, singer Nina Simone, and choreographers/dancers Pearl Primus, and Isadora Duncan.

Women artists and public figures have been integral to BAM throughout its history. The current 2019 Winter/Spring season has major contributions by women:

• Rameau: maître à danser, Les Arts Florissants. Sophie Daneman, director; Françoise Denieau, choreographer
• Venezuela, Batsheva Dance Company. Gili Navot, artistic director, Batsheva
• Diary of One Who Disappeared, Muziektheater Transparant. Annelies Van Parys, contributing composer (alongside Leoš Janáček)
• Night of 100 Solos, centennial tribute to Merce Cunningham. Staging by Patricia Lent with Jean Freebury
• in the shelter of the fold / epilogue, Doug Varone and Dancers. Music by Lesley Flanigan and Julia Wolfe (alongside David Lang, Raz Mesinai, and Kevin Keller)
• Ballet BC, choreography by Crystal Pite and Ballet BC Artistic Director Emily Molnar (alongside William Forsythe)
• Unbound: Malala Yousafzai. Book launch with reading by the human rights activist and author. 

You can visit the Leon Levy BAM Digital Archive for a more comprehensive, online “featured collection” of women artists and public figures at BAM through its 16 decades, including:

• 1876: Victoria Woodhull—founded a brokerage firm, a newspaper, and ran for president
• 1908—15: Geraldine Farrar—opera singer
• 1913: Helen Keller—author and activist
• 1930s: Amelia Earhart—pilot
• 1968 on: Trisha Brown—choreographer
• 1984 on: Pina Bausch
• 1998 on: Anne Bogart
• 1983 on: Laurie Anderson
• 1998 on: Jawole Willa Jo Zollar/Urban Bush Women
• 2000: First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton

Join in the conversation! What female artists at BAM have made an impact on you?

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