Girton Spring Ball: The one thing that’ll make you go to Girton

And just like that, the vacation has passed, and we are back. With the prospect of another eight week slog of lectures, library break downs and fomo induced boogying, it seems necessary to have something to look forward to – a light at the end of the tunnel if you will. Well, the Girton Spring Ball committee have got you.

Where some may look for a country retreat, or for others a mad party, to cleanse their soul of term- the Girton Spring Ball provides both and more. Girton’s expansive woodland grounds will be transformed on Friday the 13th March to play host to Cambridge’s best food and drink stalls, ents and performers.

Whether you’re coming to enjoy the ball or just to see if the place actually exists, here are some reasons why Girton Spring ball is one for the diary…

1. You’ll likely be the only one in your friend group to say you’ve been to Girton

Can also conclusively say that this will assist any attempt to chirpse a Girtonian…

2. It looks like this!

She stuns (Photo credit: Rebecca McNiell)

3. It’s Girton’s 150th birthday!

Cake may be involved…

4. 150 years of Girton also means 150 years of higher education for women (might be worth celebrating?)

We all love the comedy genius that is a Girton distance joke, but the college's location is a product of its history. Placing Girton two miles out of town was the price to pay for British women to have their first opportunity at university level education. The university was unclear how the presence of women would affect (or God forbid, distract!) the male scholars in town.

Yet the fact that this location now seems ridiculous shows how far we have come. Girton has since produced some of the most influential people of our time- who happen to be women (Lady Hale, president of the supreme court, being just one example!)

What’s better than celebrating a pretty cool legacy that we’re now part of?

Photo Credit: Quintus Lollius Urbicus, Creative Commons License

5. The theme is ‘Arthouse’ (think of the aesthetics!)

Whether you’re a self acclaimed art hoe or just appreciate the drinks aspect of a drink & draw- the ball will have something for everyone! Each area will be dedicated to a different artist or movement from a wide range of eras and backgrounds.

The artists we are celebrating include Yayoi Kusama, Jackson Pollock and Van Gogh amongst others. We have also been inspired by a wide spectrum of art movements, from renaissance art to post-modern feminist art.

A first look at the theme for the Stanley Library: Renaissance art (Photo credit: Tiffany Lee)

6. We’ll have more diversity of artists than the UK national gallery (not that it’s hard…)

To describe the UK’s art world, some James Brown lyrics would come in very handy: it’s a man’s world. When researching for the ball, it was not difficult to see the prevalent misogyny that continues to underpin the UK's attitudes to art. Why else do women compose 11 per cent of artists represented in the UK national gallery? Why else are textiles (commonly considered women’s work) viewed with less prestige than the male dominated fine arts?

The spring ball committee have thus consciously sought to showcase a wide range of artists of all genders, ethnicities and socio-economic backgrounds, who you may not have necessarily learnt of in your history books.

A famous protest piece by the Guerlla Girls, an anonymous group of feminist, female artists devoted to fighting sexism and racism within the art world.

7. And finally you'll get to see these beautiful faces on the night!

The real art (Photo credit: Simrhan Khetani)

If you are interested in attending the ball, tickets are still available for a limited time on girtonball.com. Grab your passports, and make the trek – it will be worth it!

Additionally you can keep up with updates, competitions and general aesthetically pleasing content on the facebook page here.

Rebecca McNeill is Sponsorship Officer for Girton Spring Ball

Cover photo designed by the graphics team of the ball: Tiffany Lee and Fany Kuzmova