Women Live

Women Live was a quarterly British magazine of writing and artwork by women about their lives', founded by editor Gill Horitz. In partnership with producer and designer, Ruth Hecht, a co-operative was formed to develop and manage the production of the magazine. Six issues were published from Autumn 1987 to Summer 1989.
Concept
The concept was to produce a new kind of women’s magazine which would be available in mainstream outlets, publishing only autobiographical content transformed through the creative medium of writing or visual art.
Each contributor's work was presented in the context of her life, with a short autobiographical introduction, and additional commentary by the writer/artist on the impact of making art. Contributors included women in the UK and beyond, both new and established writers and artists.
In 1988, Women Live was shortlisted for a Women in Publishing Pandora award.
Management and finance
Gill Horitz researched and developed the initial concept through the Enterprise Allowance Scheme, and with Ruth Hecht formed a Co-operative and Limited Company. Members included: Caroline Coombes, Sheila Jacobs, Maggie Chudley, Charlotte Bentham, Helen Pemberton, Kim Boden, Sarah Andrews,
A Women Live Celebration was held at the Watershed, Bristol in April 1989, as part of Watershed’s Feminist Book Fortnight events.
In early 1989, a Borrowing Community was formed through ethical finance company, Mercury Provident, an arrangement by which supporters loaned money to support the sustainability of the enterprise. However, in spite of this, it became impossible to sustain Women Live as a viable business, and the project was disbanded after issue six.
Women Live was produced by Pia Ltd, Cardiff and distributed by Central Books.
A collection of Women Live publications can be found in , reference/reading room in London.
Books featured
* Heilbrun, C. Writing A Woman’s Life. Ballantine Books, 1989.
* Thompson, T. ed. Dear Girl: The Diaries and Letters of two working women 1897 - 1917. Women's Press, 1987.
* Grewal, S., Kay, J., Landor, L., Lews, G. & Parmar, P. eds. Charting The Journey: Writing by Black and Third World Women. Sheba Feminist Press, 1988.

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