EVENTS
What's on at BMWHRC?
The Blue Mountains Women’s Health & Resource Centre is active in many international, national, and local events that celebrate diversity, advocate for the elimination of discrimination, progress gender equity, and promote social justice and women’s rights. We do this in partnership with community and other local organisations.
Scroll down to see a snapshot of the events that we support each year (or support us).
To find out about upcoming events, visit this website regularly or join our mailing list by submitting the form below. Some of our upcoming events are available to book online. See which events are open for booking by visiting our book online page. If you have any suggestions about possible events, or questions about our regular events, please contact us.
ANNUAL SUPPORTED EVENTS
RECLAIM THE NIGHT
The last Friday in October
This event is open to all calling for community support to advocate and rally for the rights of women to move freely though public spaces at night and without fear of violence.
The event is organised by the BMWHRC convened mountains interagency, the Coalition Against Violence & Abuse (CAVA) with services, groups and organisations coming together with member of the public to enjoy music, banner, badge making, dancing, speeches and marching down Macquarie Street, Springwood – in solidarity to share the message of safety for women and girls in their communities.
IDAHOBIT
MAY 17th
31 years ago on May 17, 1990, the World Health Organization removed homosexuality from the Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems. International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Interphobia & Transphobia (IDAHOBIT) celebrates LGBTQIA+ people globally, and raises awareness for the work still needed to combat discrimination.
Every year BMWHRC teams up with other important community organisations to celebrate & continue to fight.
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY
MARCH 8th
International Women's Day is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. Significant activity is witnessed worldwide as groups come together to celebrate women's achievements or rally for women's equality. Marked annually on March 8th, IWD is one of the most important days of the year to:
- celebrate women's achievements
- raise awareness about women's equality
- lobby for accelerated gender parity
- fundraise for female-focused charities.
16 DAYS OF ACTIVISM
NOVEMBER 25th to DECEMBER 10th
The Global 16 Days Campaign is an international campaign to challenge violence against women and girls. The campaign runs every year from 25th November – starting with the BM Mayoral Breakfast, to the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, to 10 December, Human Rights Day.
Together let’s say no to gender-based violence.
PREVIOUS EVENTS
BLUE MOUNTAINS SAYS NO TO VIOLENCE PROJECTION
DISPLAYED FROM 25TH NOVEMBER UNTIL 9TH DECEMBER 2024 IN KATOOMBA CIVIC ARCADE
The display brought to life community portraits captured by Maja Baska Photography taken in this space at the 2021 BM Enough is Enough Rally, alongside illustrations by Lotte Smith which aim to educate on the subtle and overt signs of coercive control. The projection is a collaboration between the Blue Mountains Women’s Health & Resource Centre and the creative minds at Illuminart.
Part of #16DaysOfActivism campaign.
MAYORAL BREAKFAST
The Mountains annual Mayoral Breakfast is held on the eve of ’16 Days of Activism’, the United Nations global campaign against gender-based violence, where Mayor Cr Mark Greenhill extends an invitation for the community to say no to violence.
“The purpose of this breakfast is to raise awareness about the prevalence of violence against women, in our community and beyond, and to inspire men to take action to help stop violence against women,” said the Mayor.
The Mayoral breakfast launches ’16 Days of Activism’, a worldwide campaign that explores the impact of gender-based violence in our community.
JENN ANDERSON DRAGONFLY EXHIBITION
Generously funded by the Jenn Anderson Dragonfly Fund, the project is a legacy of local Wiradjuri artist, Jenn Anderson. Jenn loved dragonflies, creativity, and had a fierce desire to build a better world for women.
Invitations were open to women in the Blue Mountains to take part in the exhibition, with all projects referencing the dragonfly somewhere in their piece to celebrate the creative and wonderful life of Jenn Anderson.
The exhibition was held from the 17 – 24 October 2024 at Gallery ONE88, 188 Katoomba Street, Katoomba.
NO MORE RALLY
On Saturday April 27th 2024, EViE (Ending Violence, improving Equality marched in the 'No More' rally organised by the incredible @sarahwilliamss5 & @whatwereyouwearing_
It was great to see so many people taking a stand against gender-based violence, however we wish we didn't have to AGAIN take to the streets to get people to notice.
#16daysofactivism 2023
Kicking off the #16daysofactivism with a BANG in 2023 🎉 The Global 16 Days Campaign is an international campaign to challenge violence against women and girls. The campaign runs every year from 25th November to the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, to 10 December, Human Rights Day.
The EViE Activism began with #whiteribbonday at Katoomba High School and then the #mayorsbreakfast in Springwood.
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY 2023
BMWHRC partnered with Blue Mountains Theatre & Community Hub, Springwood Neighbourhood Centre Cooperative and the Sydney Opera House to host a satellite live stream from the “All About Women Festival”. A highlight of the event was a thought-provoking live panel conversation featuring local High School Principal Emma La Marquand, activist and disability advocate Sophie Van der Velden and women’s rights activist Hava Rezaei.
The action also featured a Rummage & Roam second hand clothing bazaar and performances from Hands, Heart and Feet. More than 100 members of community attended. International Women’s Day 2023 also marked the launch of our sought after “Smashing the Patriarchy” T-Shirts. Team EVIE coordinated selling the T-Shirts, Tote Bags as well as MC’ing the day.
FASHION SHOW FUNDRAISER
In 2023, BMWHRC was proud to work with Jen Whitehouse and the team from Zoe Clare Leura on the inaugural Fashion Show Fundraiser. The night was an outstanding success. Fashions were modelled by real women across the age spectrum celebrating diversity and body positivity. Along with raising an incredible $15,000.00 for the Centre, the team increased community awareness about Family and Domestic Violence and the importance of well-funded women’s health services. The event also highlighted the impact of the housing crisis on women and invited community to consider more ethical use of their property. This event enabled the Centre to launch our Ethical Housing Project and resulted in people from the event offering their property. We look forward to continuing to work with Zoe Clare.
GLOBAL CLIMATE STRIKE, KIRIBILLI HOUSE
On March 25th 2022 EViE (Ending Violence, improving Equality) & Art Space participants asked BMWHRC to chaperon them to the Global Climate Strike in Sydney.
A shuttle bus was organised by our centre and 3 staff members accompanied a group of passionate young activists to have their voices heard.
Learn more or get involved with EViE via our Instagram page!
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY 2022
This year's theme was #Breakthebias and at BMWHRC we rolled out a series of online resources and hosted an in-person free satellite streaming event from the All About Women Festival.
BMWHRC partnered with Springwood Neighbourhood Centre Cooperative to Live stream the Sydney Opera House’s “All About Women Festival”. Blue Mountains Community Theatre and Hub hosted the screenings which included “First Nation’s Women Look to the Future” with Professor Aileen Moreton-Robinson, Professor Chelsea Watego, Distinguished Professor Larissa Behrendt OA, Amy McQuire and “Protecting the Outspoken” with Grace Tame and Rosie Battie.
IDAHOBIT 2022
EViE facilitators attended the IDAHOBIT (International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersex-phobia and Transphobia) event at Civic Place, Katoomba on the 17th May 2022.
The event recognises the importance of community solidarity to end LGBTQIA+ discrimination, and aims to create a safer and more inclusive community for LGBTQIA+ people. A rich selection of speakers and a Q&A panel spoke at the event. Many EViE Youth Action members attended with their high school.
The Centre’s table was one of the most popular on the day, with around 30 young people getting glitter makeup and more partaking in some beading. The day was successful for promoting BMWHRC and EViE, as young people have since come into the Centre after recognising the Team from the IDAHOBIT event.
BLUE MOUNTAINS SAYS NO TO VIOLENCE ILLUMINATION PROJECT
With COVID restriction continuing to limit planning for face to face events, the EVIE project partnered with Illuminart to create an anti-violence illumination installation on Blue Mountains Community Theatre and Hub. The illumination featured images of community members taken as part of the 2021 Community Portrait Project at the Enough is Enough Rally.
In addition to the community portraits the illumination featured the Coercive Control community education illustrations by artist Lotte Smith. The launch event was well attended with the young women of the EVIE project delivering a powerful call to action to end gendered violence. The project was also supported by the Zonta Club of the Blue Mountains and BMCC.
RECLAIM THE NIGHT 2021
COVID restrictions limited public gathering for Reclaim The Night for yet another year but we pressed on regardless! In October 2021 BMWHRC and the EVIE team partnered with our CAVA colleagues DV West, the Integrated Violence Prevention and Response Team and the Blue Mountains Zonta Club to hold two public actions in Springwood and Katoomba.
The actions featured community education material on the gendered drivers of violence with the key message “It doesn’t start with a punch”. Community were invited to join a collaborative arts project and chalk gender equity and anti-violence messages onto public space.
