Art of Improvisers (15th to 22nd June 2017) presents a festival curated by Blanca Regina and Steve Beresford and affirms the importance of women in free improvisation and arts.

It presents, in a variety of ways, both the back history and the current state of women in free improvisation. It also looks at free improvisation’s strong, but rarely noted, connection to visual work.

This show draws on a number of female artists who are part of the newer generation of free improvisers and also artists in different media. The exhibition will draw on an extensive body of previously unseen artwork, documentation and rich archive material. Exhibiting artists include Andie Brown, Tania Chen, Poulomi Desai, Helen Frosi, Sharon Gal, Rie Nakajima, Helen Petts, Julie Pickard and Blanca Regina.

The programme presents workshops with Maggie Nicols, Sharon Gal and Helen Frosi and a talk closing the show. It brings together some of the founding members of the UK free improvisation music scene, plus new generations of musicians and artists, unveiling previously unknown aspects of their art. Joining the evening performances at Cafe Oto will be Steve Beresford, Mandhira de Saram, Terry Day, Julie Kjaer, Maggie Nicols and David Toop.

Art of Improvisers is supported by Arts Council England, Cafe Oto, The British Music Collection, Sound and Music, Art+Feminism and is in association with the Wire 400.

More information at www.unpredictable.info 

In association with The Wire 400