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Suffrage Atelier was an artists' collective campaigning for 
was to produce only what could be quickly reproduced and circulated and so made great use of block-printing, both in wood and as linocuts in response to events. Clemence Housman was a well-respected member of the WSPU, so much of the production of the Suffrage Atelier was distributed in the WSPU store chains and national newspaper.
One of the first requests for the work of the organisation was for stock for the art stall at the WSPU's 1909 Princes' Skating Rink Exhibition. In the main, the Atelier worked with the
women's suffrage
Women's suffrage is the right of women to vote in elections. Beginning in the start of the 18th century, some people sought to change voting laws to allow women to vote. Liberal political parties would go on to grant women the right to vot ...
in England. It was founded in February 1909 by Laurence Housman
Laurence Housman (; 18 July 1865 – 20 February 1959) was an English playwright, writer and illustrator whose career stretched from the 1890s to the 1950s. He studied art in London. He was a younger brother of the poet A. E. Housman and his s ...
, Clemence Housman and Alfred Pearse. Clemence was a writer, illustrator, and wood engraver, and her brother Laurence was a fantasy writer.
The Atelier, which became a major political entity, accepted as its members women who were professional illustrators and writers but also encouraged non-professional artists to submit work, and paid them a small percentage of any profits. It held its first public meeting in London in February 1909, styling itself as an "Arts and Crafts Society working for the enfranchisement of women".
The collective is supposed to have been formed as a result of collaboration between members of the Kensington Branch of the Women's Social and Political Union
The Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) was a women-only political movement and leading militant organisation campaigning for women's suffrage in the United Kingdom from 1903 to 1918. Known from 1906 as the suffragettes, its membership and ...
who worked together to produce a banner entitled ''From Prison to Citizenship'', which was designed by the Housmans.
It ran printmaking, banner-making, drawing and stenciling workshops and held competitions. The Suffrage Atelier's policy
was to produce only what could be quickly reproduced and circulated and so made great use of block-printing, both in wood and as linocuts in response to events. Clemence Housman was a well-respected member of the WSPU, so much of the production of the Suffrage Atelier was distributed in the WSPU store chains and national newspaper.
One of the first requests for the work of the organisation was for stock for the art stall at the WSPU's 1909 Princes' Skating Rink Exhibition. In the main, the Atelier worked with the Women's Freedom League
The Women's Freedom League was an organisation in the United Kingdom which campaigned for women's suffrage and sexual equality
Gender equality, also known as sexual equality or equality of the sexes, is the state of equal ease of access ...
and in December 1909 it produced a banner entitled ''Let Glasgow Flourish'' for the Glasgow Central WFL, and another banner for the Glasgow West branch.
It also designed and produced a banner for the Tax Resistance League, which was carried in a procession on 18 June 1910. In the Women's Coronation procession in June 1911, the group carried their own banner which showed Athena
Athena or Athene, often given the epithet Pallas, is an ancient Greek goddess associated with wisdom, warfare, and handicraft who was later syncretized with the Roman goddess Minerva. Athena was regarded as the patron and protectress of ...
with her symbols of the owl, olive, cock, serpent, sphynx the Victory and Medusa
In Greek mythology, Medusa (; Ancient Greek: Μέδουσα "guardian, protectress"), also called Gorgo, was one of the three monstrous Gorgons, generally described as winged human females with living venomous snakes in place of hair. Those ...
head.
The Suffrage Atelier had a large body of subscribers that included both men and non-professionals. Subscribers were encouraged to submit fine art, poster and post card designs, craft work, and donations. Subscribers also helped organize pageants and exhibitions.
Members
* Catherine Courtauld * Edith Craig * Isobel Pocock * Gladys Letcher * A.E. Hope Joseph * Katharine Gatty (Secretary from 1912) *Miss E.B. Willis (Honorary Secretary 1909-14).See also
*List of suffragists and suffragettes
This list of suffragists and suffragettes includes noted individuals active in the worldwide women's suffrage movement who have campaigned or strongly advocated for women's suffrage, the organisations which they formed or joined, and the public ...
*List of women's rights activists
This article is a list of notable women's rights activists, arranged alphabetically by modern country names and by the names of the persons listed.
Afghanistan
* Amina Azimi – disabled women's rights advocate
* Hasina Jalal – women's empowerm ...
*Timeline of women's suffrage
Women's suffrage
Women's suffrage is the right of women to vote in elections. Beginning in the start of the 18th century, some people sought to change voting laws to allow women to vote. Liberal political parties would go on to grant ...
*Women's suffrage in the United Kingdom
A movement to fight for women's right to vote in the United Kingdom finally succeeded through acts of Parliament in 1918 and 1928. It became a national movement in the Victorian era. Women were not explicitly banned from voting in Great Britai ...
* Women's suffrage publications
References
British artist groups and collectives Political art Women's suffrage in the United Kingdom {{Activism-stub