Uncertain Futures is a project with American artist Suzanne Lacy, Communities Learning Manager Ruth Edson, two University academics and an Advisory Group of Manchester women over 50. It seeks to address the inequalities facing Manchester women over 50 relating to work and worklessness. We want to understand how interconnected issues of gender, age, labour, class, migration status, disability and race impact women’s paid and unpaid work.
For the first iteration which opened in June 2021, the gallery space hosted live interviews with 100 women over 50 from all walks of life, alongside workshops, talks, and media presentations that explored equity and survival. The 100 women came together in March 2022 for a celebratory dinner.
In this second iteration we reveal the development of Uncertain Futures and the initial research findings. Alongside a new film of the 100 women dinner, there are artworks and a timeline outlining the development of the project. Uncertain Futures combines art, research and activism and aims to create real social change and affect social policy.