News / 17 Mar 2025
Animation graduate co-curates Animated Activism exhibition
BA (Hons) Animation
BA (Hons) Animation graduate, Naomi Crame, has assisted in the curation of the 'Animated Activism: Women Empowered' exhibition which explores the histories of two pioneering organisations, Women’s Aid and Leeds Animation Workshop, told through their own archives.
The exhibition tells the story of the two organisations over the past fifty years from their inception in the 1970’s to now. It highlights the struggles for women’s rights during this period whilst demonstrating how much work there is still to be done in the present day.
Naomi Crame became a member of Leeds Animation Workshop during her first year at Leeds Arts University. Now, five years later, Naomi has worked with the founding members of Leeds Animation Workshop, Terry Wragg and Maria Wronka, on the exhibition. Naomi went through the Workshop’s archives with Terry and Maria and pulled things out from their history that they thought were interesting compiling it together for the exhibition. Naomi also worked on and helped animate the ‘What’s Happening Now’ film being projected on to the wall of the gallery exhibition.
“I am proud to be a part of Leeds Animation Workshop and glad I've been able to help preserve the history and maintain the life of the Workshop. I am chuffed I had the chance to help this exhibition leap out of the archive and into the gallery space. I am particularly pleased with how our accompanying film turned out. It's so exciting to read people's feedback and I can't wait to see what projects are next for the Workshop.”
Naomi Crame, BA (Hons) Animation graduate and member of Leeds Animation Workshop
In addition to Naomi, three other BA (Hons) Animation graduates, Tâm Nguyen, Oran O'Sullivan, and Kat Sucikova, are also part of Leeds Animation Workshop’s feminist collective and have supported the development of the exhibition.
“The exhibition really packs a punch to show the different activities and campaigns both organisations have been engaged in over the years and how active they still are. We also wanted to show how resilient they have had to be – it wasn’t a smooth ride for them. They were radical and disruptive, fighting for change and they were viewed with suspicion, irritation and annoyance by the authorities, they got bad press – it was important to show all that too. And the energy, wit and resourcefulness that the two organizations have in common.”
Sarah Prescott, Archivist and co-curator of the exhibition
“Women’s history does tend to get buried and we all felt it was so important to record it. We have worked together to preserve this work, for the sake of young women in the future. Women working together are a very powerful force.”
Terry Wragg, worker-director and founder member of Leeds Animation Workshop
'Animated Activism: Women Empowered' is at the Treasures of the Brotherton Gallery, until 20 December 2025. Admission is free and open to all, 10:00am-5:00pm Tuesday-Saturday.