Seagull Recommends 04/03

Hello and welcome back to Seagull Recommends! This week we've got crochet, FemFest, code workshops and more.

If you come across anything coming up in the city that you think we should know about, let us know!

🎶Gigs: Beans on Toast is at Chalk on Wednesday, this time with a band (tickets); also on Wednesday, but at Komedia, is Say She She (tickets).

🎤Transcend Borders: Introducing: Transcend Borders! A new event night on 10th March at Arcobaleno, that will channel funds to TNBI Refugees and Asylum Seekers to help fund gender affirming care. So far on the lineup: Lotus X, Rabira, Miz Lexia, Not Sarah, Subira Joy, Elameno, Sirisha, and Ocarina but there is more to be announced (tickets)!

🏳️‍⚧️Trans Pride: Mark your calendars: Trans Pride this year is July 19th-21st! The protest march will take place on Saturday 20th at midday from Jubilee Square, but keep an eye on their socials because this year they're mixing things up. Stay tuned for more information!

💍Jewellery carving: A jewellery carving workshop is being held by Rose Honey on Sunday, where you'll learn to make a ring, pendant or earrings in just two hours (tickets).

🧶Crochet: This Thursday at Woodingdean Community Centre, from 11:30am to 1:30pm, learn to crochet! Maria from Craft Magic and Workshops will teach you how to start, how to read patterns, and how to start a project. You can also go to Brighton and Hove Textile Art Group's workshop on Saturday morning, and learn to crochet a hexagon cardigan (tickets).

🎨Art and cocktails: Join Helm Gallery for a night of curated cocktails and a gallery tour this Wednesday. Guided by Helm's gallery manager, you'll explore both floors of Helm: you'll have the chance to hear about the inspirations and techniques behind the artworks they sell, there'll be an in depth introduction to their current exhibition, and the opportunity to ask questions. You'll also be shown how their curated cocktails are made, with three included in your ticket place (tickets).

💻Code: Not until next week but we can see it selling out: Ladies that UX Brighton and codebar Brighton are putting on a hackathon-style event for International Women's Day. During the event, attendees will consider and experience the ways that developers, UXers, and content designers collaborate on projects. During the workshop, you’ll learn how to:

• Research and run basic diagnostics to review a website.
• Consider functional and non-functional requirements.
• Bring designers and developers together to look at usability and accessibility issues.
• Consider the process of content audits.
• Perform a Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) assessment.

Tickets here!

🎪FemFest 2024: FemFest returns this Thursday, running until Sunday evening at The Actors and The Feminist Bookshop. Now in its fifth year, Brighton’s only arts festival made by and for AFAB, non-binary and trans people returns with 27 events across four days. Highlights include a new poetry/theatre piece, Monument, by Tatenda Naomi Matsvai, Banana Bread, a musical comedy from Su Mi, brand new work from Selena Mersey, Bisexuelle (work in progress)—last year's winner of our Best Concept award in the Brighton Fringe Seagull Awards 2023 with her show Madonna/Whore. There's also zine making and life drawing, bellydancing workshops, special interest box making, and much more (tickets).

⛪️Museum: The Booth Museum has an exhibition on women in science for International Women's Day this Saturday: find out more about women scientists past and present, with talks and tours, demonstrations, and hands-on activities (tickets for quiet hours).

🎙️Talk: Have you ever wondered why there are two places called Telscombe, just outside Brighton or how Peacehaven got its name and came to be? Here to tell us the this fascinating little bit of local history is tour guide Ric Morris. Ric is a qualified Blue Badge Tourist Guide in Brighton and London. His book, A-Z Brighton Hidden Walks was published by Harper Collins in March 2023. He'll be at Middle Street Primary School on Sunday from 11am to 12:30pm. This talk is hosted by Sunday Assembly Brighton, part of a worldwide network of non-religious gatherings which aims to uplift and inspire through readings, talks, silent contemplation and classic pop songs.

📽️Film: Join Duke of York's for a special screening of Vindication Swim, featuring a Q&A with (Brighton-based) director Elliott Hasler.

In 1927, a Brighton-born swimmer became the first British woman to swim the English Channel, and her fight for recognition is celebrated in this new biopic. Mercedes Gleitze (Kirsten Callaghan) faces challenges in and out of the water as she contends with the patriarchal attitudes of 1920s England. Her achievements are questioned when a rival, Edith Gade (Victoria Summer), claims that she has also completed the Channel swim. After media attacks, Gleitze is forced to undertake another swim to safeguard her sporting reputation.

All ticket holders will receive a 10% discount on a swim at Sea Lanes Brighton on the day of the event (tickets).

🍱Food: Hit up The Hope and Ruin for some vegan junk food, and make sure it's on Tuesday so you can go to Collage Club. Drop in from 6pm to 9pm, bring some magazines to donate if you can, and unwind and have fun while making a collage. Beer prizes available, and entry is free!

🍻Drink: Pop down to The Gladstone on Thursday: from 6:30 to 10:30pm, the bar is set up with retro consoles, free entry and free to play. Take some friends, have a pint, enjoy some of their selection of 1,500+ games.