Newhaven Historical Society Talk, 3 September 7.30pm, Hillcrest Centre, BN9 9LH – FREE drop in

Jubilee Library Talk, 14 September 11am, Brighton, BN1 1GE – FREE & tickets here: https://bit.ly/SBSBrightonTalk

Karen Poley is the Artistic Director of KP Projects CIC, creating outdoor performances, installations & community engagement projects around sustainability & the environment. She’s currently working on the Sussex Blazing Saddles Heritage Project (SBS) which she’ll tell us all about this evening.

SBS explores the revolutionary impact of the advent of the bicycle on women and society, in the 1890s to 1928 when women got the vote; the role of cycling in the suffrage movement, and the transformation of clothing and society across Sussex & the UK as a result.

The project has delved into local archives, creating a touring pop up exhibition, running movement workshops with bicycles & sewing workshops to reimagine what cycling can look like for women today.  In 2023, the company’s unique outdoor performance based on this heritage, Blazing Saddles, was performed in Worthing & Bexhill.  In 2024, it will be created in with local participants & their bikes & presented in Newhaven on 8 September & in Brighton on 22 September.

All the info for various elements of the project is here – https://linktr.ee/sussexblazingsaddles  & the project website is www.sussexblazingsaddles.co.uk