2019-06-01+Woman+and+Home

Charityfounder

MariceCumber, 57

MaricefoundedAccumulate,a charity
incorporatedorganisationthataims
tohelpandsupportyoung,homeless
peoplethrougharts-basedprogrammes.
Accumulatecollaboratesandpartners
withmajorcreativeinstitutionssuch
astheBarbican,TateModern,theV&A
andSomersetHousetooffercourses,
andhasa scholarshipschemewith
RavensbourneUniversityin London.
Maricesays:“Wehelpyoungpeoplewho
arehomelessandlivingin hostels.These
peoplehavenotbeengivenopportunities
in life.Whenyoufeelyouhavenothing
tooffer,it’seasytosuccumbtoviolence,
anti-socialbehaviourandsubstance
abuse.Throughourprogrammewecan
preventtheslideintonegativebehaviours,
andhelpyoungpeopledevelopskillsand
furtherthemselves.Wecollaboratewith
majorinstitutionsto offerworkshopsin
art,photography,film,fashion,sculpture
and ceramics.Wealsofundraisefor
scholarshipssoparticipants
canaccesscoursesand
gointofurthereducation.
Thelong-termresultsare
amazingbutchangestarts
withthesmalleststep– a
steptowardsincreasedself
belief,whichcantakethem
anywhere they want to go.”

Co-founderofopera

CoMpanyhera

LindaHirst, 70

Lindais anacclaimedmezzo-soprano

andfounderoftheintergenerational

andall-femaleoperacompanyHERA,

whichshefoundedtochampionand

performworkbyfemalecomposers.

Lindaworksacrossgenreboundaries

andleadsthefieldinexperimental

collaborations,workingwitheveryone

fromJudithWeir(firstwomantohold

thetitleofMasterofTheQueen’s

Music),toScottishpoetIvorCutler,

andiconicrockgroupTheWho.

Lindasays:“Whiletherearemany

femaleoperasingersintheclassical

sector,theyworkina male-dominated

industry.Infact,currentlyonly2.5%

ofcomposersthatareselectedfor

performancebyUK’spubliclyfunded

operacompaniesarewomen.However,

thereis noshortageoffemale-

composedopera.Womenhavebeen

composingthroughouthistory,butmany

greatfemalecomposerswerequite

oftenstoppedfromworkingoreclipsed

by their more famous husbands. Fanny

Mendelssohn,for

example,andClara

Schumann.These

womenweregreat

composersin their

ownrightandtheir

musicexistsas

proof.In the20th

centuryyouhave

RebeccaClarkeand

GraceWilliams,andtoday,wehavethe

likesofHannahKendallandCassandra

Miller.Introducingaudiencestothese

composersis important,notjust

becauseit’smusicwrittenbywomen,

butbecauseit’smagical.Female

composersarewonderfulatdrawing

onlifeexperienceandemotions,such

asnurturingandlosstobringa warmth

tomusic.Classicalmusicmightseem

lessaccessiblethanothergenres,

butit’sveryrelevant– contemporary

composerstacklemodernissuesand

eventsofrealuniversalinterest,such

asTansyDavieswhocomposedan

operaabout9/11.Listeningtoopera

canalsobeveryrewarding.It doesn’t

matterif youdon’tunderstandthe

words – it’s about feeling.” >>

DebbiehasjustfinishedworkontheBBC’ssmashhitseriesPoldark. Amongher

otherTVwritingcreditsareAgeBeforeBeauty andCuttingIt. Hertheatrework

includesRedDevils,TrueDareKissandSex,Chips&Rock’n’Roll,TheMusical.

Debbie’snextprojectfortheBBCis theadaptationofa well-knownclassicnovel.

debbiesays:“I’vealwayswrittenaboutwomen.I’mfroma familyoffivesisters,

andI havesomegreatfemalesin myfriendshipcircle,soI’mwritingaboutthe

thingI knowinsideout– groupsoffemales,thebondbetweenthem,thepotential

fordramaandconflict,butultimatelyformutualsupportandcare.It’simportantto

methatI writeaboutstrong,multi-layeredcomplexwomenfromallwalksoflife.

I alsoliketosupportandencouragenewtalent.I mentorstudentsin educational

establishmentsandpeopleoftenwritetomeforadvice.It’simportanttodemystify

thescreenwritingprocessforothers.Thegreatthingaboutwritingis thatageis not

a barrier, and can enhance your ability to create authentic voices and characters.”

award-winningproduCerand sCreenwriter

Debbie Horsfield, 64

Meetthewomenfuelling

our passion for culture

AMAzING

WOM e N

AWA R D S

InPARTnERSHIPWITH

2019

woman&home IT’S ALL ABOUT yOU! 43