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Female Pioneers of Reggae

12 Nov, 2025

THE MUSEUM OF YOUTH CULTURE & HACKNEY SHOWROOM ANNOUNCE FEMALE PIONEERS OF REGGAE
A PHOTOGRAPHIC EXHIBITION OF 1980s REGGAE CULTURE TOURING THE UK

Supported by Arts Council England & the Heritage Fund 

 

The Museum Of Youth Culture and Hackney Showroom announce Female Pioneers of Reggae, a photographic exhibition showing rare and unseen photographs capturing women in the Reggae scene in 1980s UK. The touring exhibition opens at Leeds Playhouse from 10-23 November, Bristol Old Vic from 10-17 November, Belgrade Theatre Coventry from 17-22 November and Brighton Dome from 28-29 November.

The exhibition will also feature an open call in Leeds and Bristol, encouraging people to contribute their own collection of audio recordings, photos, posters, notebooks, flyers or other ephemera documenting female and non-binary artists’ contributions to the UK Reggae scene, with a particular focus on reggae, dancehall and lovers rock sub-genres.

The exhibition is developed in partnership with Sutara Gayle AKA Lorna Gee and runs alongside the UK tour of her award-winning theatre show The Legends of Them, produced by Hackney Showroom. 

Female Pioneers of Reggae celebrates the deejays & singers who created the sounds and paved the way for future generations of artists, alongside the women who made the scene: those who frequented the blues dances, bought the records and wore their iconic looks.

The exhibition captures some reggae icons alongside Lorna Gee including Janet Kay, Miss Irie, Ranking Miss P, Carroll Thompson, Jane Eugene, Jean Adebambo and Juliet Roberts includes photographs by Normski, David Corio, Steve Rapport, Richard Braine, and Richard Saunders and Tim Barrow courtesy of urbanimage.

The exhibition also features Sutara’s personal archive: photographs, ephemera and records that weave her musical journey. Her collection of flyers reveal the women she’s shared a stage with such as Sista Culcha, DJ Elayne and Ranking Ann, to name a few. 

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Brighton Dome Church St, Brighton and Hove, Brighton BN1 1UE
28-29 November: Book

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