Always on
This project successfully funded on 17th May 2026, you can still support them with a donation.
SARAH AINSLIE'S WOMEN AT WORK BOOK
London, Greater London, United Kingdom
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Aim
Help SPITALFIELDS LIFE publish a book of the magnificent portraits of WOMEN AT WORK taken in London's East End by SARAH AINSLIE since 1992
SARAH AINSLIE celebrates the contribution of female labour in exuberant photographs that capture the passion and struggle of the working life, forming a panoramic survey of social change over four decades.
"My pictures are a testament to the indomitable spirit of women whose work is often unrecognised, whether in factories, working from home or caring for the vulnerable – tradeswomen, community organisers, garment workers, faith leaders, artists, firefighters, shopkeepers, transport workers, cleaners and NHS staff, women who are catering, and many more who sustain and bind together communities with their warmth, labour and fellowship." Sarah Ainslie
Please help us publish a handsome 200 page hardback photographic book to honour the work of these women who shape the fabric of our lives. We are organising a major exhibition of these portraits at the FOUR CORNERS photography gallery in Bethnal Green to coincide with publication of the book this autumn.
SARAH AINSLIE is a photographer who has been living and working within communities in London’s East End since the early 1980s.
SPITALFIELDS LIFE is a daily blog running for the past 17 years that sets out to celebrate and the elevate the cultures of the East End, publishing more than 20 books and hosting walking tours telling the people's history.
“It means so much to me and will be an important recognition of all the women I have photographed over the years for this book to be published by Spitalfields Life Books, a perfect home for it.” Sarah Ainslie
All money raised will go towards the printing, production and promotion of the book. We print within Europe on paper from sustainable sources and have established relationships with booksellers and distributors, locally and nationally.
"The journey began in 1991 when I was commissioned by Hackney Museum to make portraits and document the working lives of women in Hackney. Over the years, I have been involved in innumerable collaborations, including with women in a South African township and women working in East End strip clubs, and I have also facilitated multiple projects with local groups of women, alongside working with Spitalfields Life as a contributing photographer. Then in 2022 I was commissioned by Oxford House to photograph women working in Bethnal Green."
"The process of searching and building relationships with the women who participate has been an adventure, and these photographs are a celebration of the generosity of these women who welcomed me into their working lives." Sarah Ainslie
Funding method
Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made