"Rope Women" - Exhibition curator talk

Skinning the Cat was an all-female circus troupe that emerged among the contemporary circus movement that was unfolding in Britain from the counter-cultural politics of the 1960s and 1970s and broke the traditional moulds of circus between 1988 and 2003. The exhibition has been co-curated with Skinning the Cat founder and artistic director Rebecca Truman with an introduction by Professor Vanessa Toulmin.

For Heritage Open Days, Rebecca Truman, founder and artistic director of ground-breaking all-female circus troupe, Skinning the Cat, will give curator-led tours of the Rope Women exhibition.

Tours will take place on Saturday 12th September at 1:30pm and 3pm and on Sunday 13th September at 11:30am and 1pm. Tours will last approximately 45 minutes. Booking is required for the curated tours.

Alongside the talk, members of the public can visit the exhibition any time during the library opening times stated below, bookings are not required to view the exhibition. The exhibition will actually run from 20th July - 13th December 2026 and you will therefore still have an opportunity to see the exhibits outside of the Festival dates.

Timings

Saturday 12 September:

Talks: 1330 & 1500

Sunday 13 September:

1130 & 1300

Location & directions

Western Bank Library, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S10 2TN

Directions:

Western Bank Library is shown at G2 on the university campus map, which can be found by clicking the arrow under "Our media channels". Opening times are: Monday to Friday: 9:00am-5:00pm Saturday-Sunday: 10:00am-6:00pm

Contact on day:

Jean Simpson

Telephone number:

+447730579002

Booking information

Pre-booking requirement:

Pre-booking required

Booking conditions:

There will be pre-bookings of a maximum of 15 per tour with the additional facility for 5 walk-ins. Bookings can be made from 1 August.

Booking contact name:

Jean Simpson

Booking telephone number:

+447730579002

Booking email:

[email protected]

Booking website:

https://sheffield.ac.uk/public-engagement/upcoming-events/heritage-open-days-university-sheffield

Booking opens:

01 Aug 2026 12:00 AM

Booking closes:

11 Sep 2026 12:00 AM

Accessibility details

There is a ramp for wheelchair access to the first floor of the library where the exhibition will be held. The exhibition space is open plan and fully accessible to wheelchair users.

Additional information

Alongside the talk, members of the public can visit the exhibition any time during the library opening times stated below, bookings are not required. The exhibition will actually run from 20th July - 13th December 2026 and you will therefore still have an opportunity to see the exhibits outside of the Festival dates. Monday to Friday: 9:00am-5:00pm and Saturday-Sunday: 10:00am-6:00pm

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