Returning Women to Urban History Through a Special Project and Artistic Practices

Context

Urban history is usually recorded through male names, while women’s contributions often remain marginalized or disappear from collective memory altogether. In the case of Dnipro, this means losing a significant part of the city’s own history, from the era of Katerynoslav to the present day.

What was done

For International Women’s Day, the editorial team launched the special project “Women of the City on the River”, dedicated to outstanding women of Dnipro. The project:

• combined long-form articles with active repackaging for social media;
• featured original illustrations by Dnipro-based artist Stasia Velikodna, created in a comic-book style;
• highlighted the issue of gender visibility, noting that throughout the city’s history only eight women have received the title of honorary citizen.

How it was implemented

• Journalists worked together with historians to recover the names and biographies of prominent women from Dnipro.
• The visual component became a separate storytelling tool: the illustrations “brought the heroines to life” and made the project visually distinctive.
• The project combined historical context, contemporary art, and a social message, making it accessible to a broader audience.

Impact

For the first time, historical women figures of Dnipro were brought back into the public information space through a vivid visual language. Active distribution of the materials on social media increased their visibility and audience engagement. The project became an example of how local journalism can help restore historical justice and create a more inclusive image of the city.

What other media can learn

• Highlight marginalized women’s histories within urban and cultural contexts.
• Combine journalism with art and visual storytelling.
• Use social media and interactive formats to engage new audiences and amplify the impact of journalistic projects.