SHEFARERS OF IPSWICH SECRET AGENCY

The history of the seas is almost exclusively a history of men. Men have sailed the seas, worked in the sea trade, gone to war. While women have fought with considerable success for gender equality on land, the maritime world seems far behind.

This year at SPILL, we celebrate the ‘shefarers’ of Ipswichthe women sailors, port workers, sailmakers, tugboat pilots, boat-builders, sea swimmers and more - to ask them: is there a feminism of the water?

Artists secret agency will set up headquarters for the shefarers of Ipswich on Sailing Barge ‘Victoria’ on the Waterfront, hosting a series of events, performances and drop-in research sessions. Come and visit the Open Ship to learn about shefarers’ stories, join their banquet and procession to The Hold, or gather with us for performances from all-female sea shanty crew The Silver Darlings!

Shefarers of Ipswich is the latest iteration of secret agency’s Women of the Seven Seas project. Its international events have taken place in Hamburg, Barcelona and Lagos, and will soon journey to Indonesia.

Shefarers of Ipswich has been generously supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Swire Charitable Trust, Ganzoni Trust, Scarfe Charitable Trust, Ipswich Maritime Trust, Worshipful Company of Shipwrights, German Federal Cultural Fund, Harwich Haven Authority Fund through Suffolk Community Foundation, and a number of anonymous donors. We would especially like to thank National Lottery players, whose contributions have enabled our grant from the Heritage Fund.

Tue 17 - Thu 19 Oct (Open Ship)

Sat 21 Oct 14:00 (banquet and procession)

See website and Waterfront signage for up-to-date timings

Sailing Barge ‘Victoria’, Ipswich Waterfront + The Hold

FREE (£15 for banquet event) geheimagentur.net

Sailing Barge ‘Victoria’ is entered via a gangway and ladder. Accessible activities take place at Waterfront venues and The Hold, or can be enjoyed from the Waterfront promenade. See our festival noticeboards for up-to-the-minute timings and opportunities.

The Silver Darlings

See our website for info on a special sail to for young women and non-binary people aged 14-24. After October, explore shefarer stories in the Suffolk Archives collection at The Hold.

Sat 21 Oct 13:30 & 16:00 30 mins

Ipswich Waterfront + The Hold FREE silverdarlingsshanty.co.uk

INSCRIBED IN ‘ME’ ALETHIA ANTONIA

Choreographed and performed by Alethia Antonia, Inscribed in ‘Me’ is a dance performance that uses movement, voice, and music to explore both personal and historical experiences of feminine blackness and self-authorship.

It is a journey of self-discovery and healing; both deeply personal and universal.

Brendan Keaney, Artistic Director of DanceEast, described Alethia to us as ‘an amazing technician with an extraordinary stage presence,’ so we are delighted to work with him to introduce Alethia to SPILL audiences. After her performance, Alethia will join SPILL Artistic Director Robin Deacon onstage for a discussion about her work.

Fri 20 Oct 19:30

£15 (booking via danceeast.co.uk) alethiaantonia.com

Originally A Plant Maritea

DÆHLIN

In Originally a plant, Maritea Dæhlin weaves languages together, reflecting the reality for many who traverse different cultures and geographies. They must leave space for interpretation, misunderstanding and lost words.

Creating a unique visual and sonic landscape on the DanceHouse stage, Dæhlin questions who is seen and heard, and who is not.

Maritea Dæhlin is an interdisciplinary artist who lives and works in Norway and Mexico. We are thrilled to continue our support for this exciting performer after the success of her video work, I WANT TO BE TRADITIONAL, in SPILL 2021.

Thu 19 Oct 19:30 mariteadaehlin.com

£10 / £7 concs.

Jerwood DanceHouse

90 mins

Supported by Performing Arts Hub Norway and Arts Council Norway

Jerwood DanceHouse

75 mins

Presented in collaboration with DanceEast

HAILU MERGIA + SUPPORT

In mid-1970s Ethiopia, as the political tides changed toward authoritarianism, Addis Ababa’s cosmopolitan, soul-fuelled nightlife was in full swing.

Hailu Mergia and the Walias Band were the jazz pioneers at the very centre of this golden age of Ethiopian popular music, providing the soundtrack to 12-hour all-nighters for the diplomats, power brokers, movie stars and regular club-goers seeking refuge from government-enforced curfews.

Now based in New York and in his sixth decade of musical activity, Hailu Mergia and his band are in the UK to perform music from their acclaimed latest album, Yene Mircha (‘My Choice’ in Amharic).

Fri 20 Oct 21:00 (doors 20:30)

£17 hailumergia.bandcamp.com

THE UTOPIA STRONG + LOULA YORKE

The Utopia Strong’s formidable blend of leftfield psychedelia and beatific harmony has evolved way beyond expectations since the band’s inception.

Featuring Kavus Torabi (Gong), Steve Davis (Psychedelic Modular) and Mike York, the experimental trio combine sequencers, samplers, synths, guitars and pipes in evocative sound-worlds and mind-expanding improvisations. Join them on a voyage to inner space!

Support is provided by Suffolk composer and live electronics performer Loula Yorke. Loula is the artist behind Atari Punk Girls, one of the highlights of SPILL 2021.

Sat 21 Oct 21:00 (doors 20:30)

£10 theutopiastrong.bandcamp.com

SPILL Hub @ St Stephen’s Church

2 hours loulayorke.com

SPILL Hub @ St Stephen’s Church

2 hours (approx)

Presented in collaboration with Brighten The Corners