Are Media and the Bendigo Art Gallery are celebrating the 90th anniversary of The Australian Women’s Weekly with an exhibition opening on 27 May and running through to 27 August.
The exhibition showcases The Australian Women’s Weekly’s rich history with the stories, fashion and glamour featured in the magazine over the past nine decades. It will also pay a “heart-warming” tribute to Australian women’s creativity and care-giving in the domestic and public sphere.
The Australian Women’s Weekly: 90 Years of an Australian Icon exhibition will also celebrate the contributions of influential and trailblazing women who have made The Weekly a magazine for women, by women, from its very beginnings – including Ita Buttrose, who, as the youngest ever editor, took over the reins of the publication in the 1970s, transformed it into a thriving cultural institution, with a readership that exceeded two million. Buttrose had a keen eye for content that resonated with Australian women, tackling subjects like sex education, mental health, and domestic violence.
It will also celebrate former editor and courageous wartime reporter Dorothy Drain, who wrote articles from the field from the Korean and Vietnam Wars. The exhibition will showcase Dorothy’s scrapbooks, writings and memorabilia for the very first time.
Are Media CEO, Jane Huxley, said: “This exciting exhibition is just the start of a number of events and initiatives planned to celebrate the 90th anniversary of The Australian Women’s Weekly. It’s rare for a magazine brand to consistently engage Australian women throughout nine decades of societal change. It demonstrates the strength of The Weekly brand and the skills of our content leaders. This year will see significant investment in the brand as we continue to evolve to engage with our consumers.”
Nicole Byers, editor-in-chief and group publisher women’s lifestyle says: “We are thrilled to be bringing some of The Weekly’s most memorable moments to the Bendigo Art Gallery in what will be a spectacular start to our 90th celebrations. 90 Years of an Australian Icon celebrates not only The Australian Women’s Weekly heritage of agenda-setting story-telling and trusted lifestyle and food content, it also explores how the brand has charted the changing lives of Australian women from 1933 to today.
Jessica Bridgfoot, director of the Bendigo Art Gallery, said she was delighted to work with The Australian Women’s Weekly team to present this exhibition. “The Weekly has embodied and reflected the aspirations and self-expression of so many Australian women over the last 90 years.
“We’re excited to present an exhibition that explores the history of this much-loved Australian magazine, and how it has reflected and inspired Australian women especially in the pre-digital decades, when it offered a vital window into fashion, domestic and social trends from the global stage.”
