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WOW – Women of the World arrives in Manchester. Book your Saturday day ticket for the ultimate WOW experience.
Fresh from WOW Festivals in Pakistan, Istanbul, Rotherham and Athens, WOW – Women of the World lands in the North West for the first time. Come together with inspirational activists, speakers and the people of Greater Manchester to explore the most talked about issues today. Grab a Saturday ticket for a day filled with joy, urgent conversations, and interactive workshops.
WOW founder and celebrated theatre director Jude Kelly opens the Festival with a powerful Moment of Unity – repeated at intervals throughout the weekend. For more conversations, join WOW Big Ideas where well-known faces meet local activists to put the world to rights. Or visit our Conversation Stations on a huge range of topics from the Manchester music scene to manipulation - and how racism is making us ill! Speakers include Australia’s first woman Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Manchester legend DJ Paulette and more.
The beating heart of the Festival is the bustling Marketplace – a hub of urgency, generosity and conversation with over 50 stalls to explore. Get stuck in with a range of workshops led by Greater Manchester’s rich and diverse talent. Learn how to do your own plumbing, develop new textile skills, dance, draw and find (or nurture) your inner activist.
Meet artists from across the globe in our specially-curated South Asian Showcase in partnership with the British Council. Come, share a chai and be WOWed by beautiful textiles, artworks, photography and film from Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan, alongside new work from Turkey.
You can also pop by the Social for a range of free events – featuring WOW pop-ups, poetry, workshops and artwork. Listen in to WOW Bites or learn how to make dyes from natural ingredients. There’s plenty to stumble upon.
WOW Manchester welcomes people of all ages, genders and backgrounds. Whether you’re a seasoned activist or dipping your toes into ideas about gender equity for the first time, WOW Manchester is for you.
- You need a ticket to access the main WOW Manchester day programme.
- Certain evening events require you to buy a separate ticket for that event, such as Mel B, Jordan Stephens and Sara Pascoe.
- You can still drop by to Aviva Studios that weekend and enjoy ourfree events and activities in the Social area but will need a ticket to access the WOW programme.
- Day tickets are available for Saturday and Sunday. Each day features a different line-up so take your pick, or bag a Weekend Ticket and come along to both.
- Kids under 12 can attend for free across the weekend.
Part of WOW Manchester.
Saturday line-up
All times shown in GMT
Moments of Unity
11:00am
–
5:00pm
There’ll be a few spontaneous moments throughout the festival - 2 or 3 times a day - where the space will come to a standstill for a moment of magic!
Moments of Unity
11:00am – 5:00pmThere’ll be a few spontaneous moments throughout the festival - 2 or 3 times a day - where the space will come to a standstill for a moment of magic!
Podium, South Warehouse
There’ll be a few spontaneous moments throughout the festival - 2 or 3 times a day - where the space will come to a standstill for a moment of magic! Including Anne-Marie Imafidon in conversation with Jude Kelly and Latanya Mapp from Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors and Pradeepa Jeeva from Global Fund for Women exploring why only 1.9% of funding reaches women's organisations.
WAST Choir - Women Asylum Seekers Together
11:00am
–
11:30am
The WAST choir mark the opening of WOW Manchester with a joyful performance!
WAST Choir - Women Asylum Seekers Together
11:00am – 11:30amThe WAST choir mark the opening of WOW Manchester with a joyful performance!
Podium, South Warehouse
The WAST choir mark the opening of WOW Manchester with a joyful performance! Made up of women from different cultures and backgrounds, WAST use their voices to raise awareness about the injustices they have experienced while going through the asylum system in the UK.
HERcienda: Live
11:00am
–
12:30pm
Eves’Drop Collective host an epic day rave filled with eclectic selections, good vibes and plenty of nostalgia.
HERcienda: Live
11:00am – 12:30pmEves’Drop Collective host an epic day rave filled with eclectic selections, good vibes and plenty of nostalgia.
The Hall
Eves’Drop Collective host an epic day rave filled with eclectic selections, good vibes and plenty of nostalgia. Covering everything from jazz to disco, deep house and hip hop, this family friendly day rave is not to be missed.
Open to all ages, all genders - and all dance moves! DJs include mixer extraordinaire Andrea Trout and doctor by day, DJ by night, Ruby Swallow.
“I will not be lectured about misogyny by this man” - In conversation with Julia Gillard
11:30am
–
12:15pm
Join WOW Founder Jude Kelly and former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard as they open Saturday at WOW Manchester.
“I will not be lectured about misogyny by this man” - In conversation with Julia Gillard
11:30am – 12:15pmJoin WOW Founder Jude Kelly and former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard as they open Saturday at WOW Manchester.
Conversation Station, South Warehouse
Join WOW Founder Jude Kelly and former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard as they open Saturday at WOW Manchester.
What is the world like for women, girls and non-binary people today? And how will it change in future? Welcome in WOW Manchester with a conversation filled with optimism and hope.
Tatreez: Embroidery for Wellbeing
11:30am
–
12:15pm
Join us for a special workshop on Tatreez - traditional Palestinian embroidery - its history and why conservation of this embroidery technique is so important, both culturally and for personal wellbeing.
Tatreez: Embroidery for Wellbeing
11:30am – 12:15pmJoin us for a special workshop on Tatreez - traditional Palestinian embroidery - its history and why conservation of this embroidery technique is so important, both culturally and for personal wellbeing.
Shared Workshop Area , South Warehouse
Join us for a special workshop on Tatreez - traditional Palestinian embroidery - its history and why conservation of this embroidery technique is so important, both culturally and for personal wellbeing. In this session you will learn about Tatreez motifs and patterns and give embroidering a go with your very own cross stitch.
All materials will be provided.
HERcienda: Women, music and Manchester
1:00pm
–
1:45pm
In the rich tapestry of Manchester, music venues – many now lost to gentrification – bind together so much of the city’s iconic past. But there was always a demographic missing: women.
HERcienda: Women, music and Manchester
1:00pm – 1:45pmIn the rich tapestry of Manchester, music venues – many now lost to gentrification – bind together so much of the city’s iconic past. But there was always a demographic missing: women.
Conversation Station, South Warehouse
In the rich tapestry of Manchester, music venues – many now lost to gentrification – bind together so much of the city’s iconic past. But there was always a demographic missing: women.
Join one of the Hacienda’s only woman DJs and Manchester legend DJ Paulette for a conversation on the absence of women in these spaces, how buildings shape our cultural landscapes and how we can build inclusive spaces that embody local histories, people and surroundings whilst honouring the shape of their futures.
Recycled Me!
1:00pm
–
2:00pm
Join Yamina Peerzada from WOW Pakistan for an exciting workshop where creativity meets eco consciousness.
Recycled Me!
1:00pm – 2:00pmJoin Yamina Peerzada from WOW Pakistan for an exciting workshop where creativity meets eco consciousness.
Shared Workshop Area, South Warehouse
Join Yamina Peerzada from WOW Pakistan for an exciting workshop where creativity meets eco consciousness. You'll learn how to repurpose beautiful materials and offcuts all the way from Pakistan to create your very own mini-rod puppet made entirely from recycled materials. The idea is to create something beautiful out of things that are considered useless or deemed as trash.
Katumba: Music, Movement & Mindfulness
1:15pm
–
2:00pm
Join us for a music and mindfulness workshop inspired by Afro-Brazilian dance and body percussion.
Katumba: Music, Movement & Mindfulness
1:15pm – 2:00pmJoin us for a music and mindfulness workshop inspired by Afro-Brazilian dance and body percussion.
Lower Foyer
Join us for a music and mindfulness workshop inspired by Afro-Brazilian dance and body percussion. If you want to feel uplifted, empowered and have the opportunity to be part of the Katumba Carnival Bloco performing alongside the Katumba Drummers - this is the session for you!
Pole dancing against the algorithm: what can pole dancers teach us about social media?
2:30pm
–
3:15pm
Pole dancing academic, performer, activist and blogger with a PhD in digital criminology, Dr Carolina Are, (a.k.a. @bloggeronpole) discusses online censorship and its relationship with the patriarchy.
Pole dancing against the algorithm: what can pole dancers teach us about social media?
2:30pm – 3:15pmPole dancing academic, performer, activist and blogger with a PhD in digital criminology, Dr Carolina Are, (a.k.a. @bloggeronpole) discusses online censorship and its relationship with the patriarchy.
Lower Foyer
Pole dancing academic, performer, activist and blogger with a PhD in digital criminology, Dr Carolina Are, (a.k.a. @bloggeronpole) joins us to discuss algorithmic bias against nudity, its relationship with the patriarchy and whorephobia. In this fascinating workshop, participants will learn how to challenge censorship publicly, how to prove things are happening to your content and how to gain visibility despite shadowbanning. Blended with a Q&A, in this workshop you will learn everything you wanted to know about challenging censorship as well as practical tips and tricks to take away with you.
- Age Restrictions: 18+ Advice on content: This workshop discusses sex work, sexual health and includes images of pole dancing.
WOW Big Ideas
2:30pm
–
3:15pm
Come and hear some of the world’s best and most compelling speakers talk about the things they care about most.
WOW Big Ideas
2:30pm – 3:15pmCome and hear some of the world’s best and most compelling speakers talk about the things they care about most.
Conversation Station, South Warehouse
Come and hear some of the world’s best and most compelling speakers talk about the things they care about most. Including:
Dr Layal Liverpool on how racism is making us ill
Gift Sally Akinyi O talks Everyday Feminism - how it plays out in the work of feminist movements and activists globally and how small, everyday acts help us move towards achieving gender equality, presented in partnership with Womankind Worldwide
Taslima Ahmad from CDM UK, on navigating a late life autism diagnosis as a South Asian woman
David Bartlett on why better boyhoods are good for everyone, presented in partnership with Equimundo
Mel Johnson on Solo parenting
All Cisterns Go
2:30pm
–
3:15pm
A plumbing workshop for beginners with Hattie Hasan MBE, founder of Stopcocks Women Plumbers.
All Cisterns Go
2:30pm – 3:15pmA plumbing workshop for beginners with Hattie Hasan MBE, founder of Stopcocks Women Plumbers.
Workshop Area, South Warehouse
A plumbing workshop for beginners with Hattie Hasan MBE, founder of Stopcocks Women Plumbers. DIY doesn't need to be a pipe dream! Come and learn the basics of plumbing, so that you can sort easy problems yourself at home, and learn what to ask for when you need to call in the professionals.
All levels of knowledge are welcome - the less you know the better.
Who cares? Women on TV
4:00pm
–
5:00pm
Step into the spotlight and join us for an inspiring session celebrating the power and presence of women on television. Why should we care who is on TV?
Who cares? Women on TV
4:00pm – 5:00pmStep into the spotlight and join us for an inspiring session celebrating the power and presence of women on television. Why should we care who is on TV?
The Hall
Step into the spotlight and join us for an inspiring session celebrating the power and presence of women on television. Why should we care who is on TV?
Award winning writer, actor and star of Alma’s Not Normal, Sophie Willan is joined by prolific actress, star of Silent Witness and disability activist Liz Carr to discuss the challenges and triumphs of being women on TV, and why representation matters. Chaired by broadcaster Geeta Pendse, the panel explores the narratives shaping our screens and cultures - and who gets to tell those stories. Sharing insights, laughs and their incredible personal journeys to fame, from growing up in care to navigating discrimination, this is a session not to be missed.
The Chain: Sisterhood, Sex and Storytelling
4:00pm
–
4:45pm
What happens when the person you love is not who you thought?
The Chain: Sisterhood, Sex and Storytelling
4:00pm – 4:45pmWhat happens when the person you love is not who you thought?
Conversation Station, South Warehouse
What happens when the person you love is not who you thought? Join us as we explore how relationships can quickly turn sour and why society allows persistent misogyny to thrive in this candid, funny and inspiring conversation with The Chain author, Chimene Suleyman. We'll reflect on the power of finding oneself and community amidst the wreckage of a tumultuous relationship and celebrate the journey of healing, self-discovery, and the strength found in sisterhood. Interviewer to be announced.
- This talk discusses coercive control.
Zine Making
4:00pm
–
4:45pm
Join for a fun and creative session on storytelling through zine making and learn how to express yourself through the craft.
Zine Making
4:00pm – 4:45pmJoin for a fun and creative session on storytelling through zine making and learn how to express yourself through the craft.
Workshop Area, South Warehouse
From DIY culture, to collective manifestos, zines have led the way in a number of feminist, anti racist and counter culture movements. Join for a fun and creative session on storytelling through zine making and learn how to express yourself through the craft.
Come along whether you’re a zine expert or just want to have fun and pick up a new skill.
HYPEHUNZ
11:00am
–
5:00pm
Don’t be surprised when the HYPEHUNZ come and gas you up!
HYPEHUNZ
11:00am – 5:00pmDon’t be surprised when the HYPEHUNZ come and gas you up!
All day, Roaming
Don’t be surprised when the HYPEHUNZ come and gas you up! Providing lollies, laughter, glitter, giggles, compliments and confidentiality, they’ll hear you out, hype you up, get to the heart of the issue, glitter your face and send you soaring on your way in a series of fleeting impromptu interactions around the building.
Brought to you by Girl Gang Manchester.
Artistic Installations
11:00am
–
5:00pm
Artists Ina-Maria Shikongo and Tania Kovats exhibit specially commissioned work .
Artistic Installations
11:00am – 5:00pmArtists Ina-Maria Shikongo and Tania Kovats exhibit specially commissioned work .
The Marketplace
Womenity by Ina-Maria Shikongo
Namibian artist and activist Ina-Maria Shikongo’s new piece ‘Womenity’ uses old clothing and offcuts to tell the journey of a woman through Mountain, Water, the Tree and Air and to remind us to honour women, just like nature and life. The installation is inspired by the textile mills of Manchester, the legacy of empire and Namibian fabrics. ‘Womenity’ is a commission by the Commonwealth Foundation.
Join Ina-Maria in the Marketplace for 45 minute workshops to create a shared art piece at 11.30pm, 1pm, 2.30pm and 4pm.
Moonmoth by Tania Kovats
Come and experience Tania Kovats’ ‘MOONMOTH’, a new commission curated by Invisible Dust engaging with the legacy of the visionary 17th century naturalist, Maria Sibylla Merian (1647-1717), a new work that relates to our current biodiversity crisis.
This commission is supported by the prestigious Simon Industrial and Professional (SIP) Fellowship, University of Manchester.
Total Block out!
11:00am
–
5:00pm
Join local non profit CDM for a full day of drop-in block printing.
Total Block out!
11:00am – 5:00pmJoin local non profit CDM for a full day of drop-in block printing.
The Marketplace
Join local non profit CDM UK for a full day of drop-in block printing. Whether you want to give new life to a t-shirt or a tote or just want to have a go at something creative, this session is for you! Instructions and materials provided - and feel free to bring anything else you would like to print onto.
ClayLife
11:00am
–
5:00pm
Join ClayLife for an all day drop in workshop open to the clay curious of all ages!
ClayLife
11:00am – 5:00pmJoin ClayLife for an all day drop in workshop open to the clay curious of all ages!
The Marketplace
Join ClayLife for an all day drop in workshop open to the clay curious of all ages! Known for its calming quality, clay modelling is a great way to relax, get creative and have some fun. Guided by our facilitator, we can teach you the basics from making your own plant pot to free form sculpting.
Cut the Red Tape!
11:00am
–
5:00pm
A drop-in art workshop with Heidi Wigmore where you can contribute to a big floor-based drawing.
Cut the Red Tape!
11:00am – 5:00pmA drop-in art workshop with Heidi Wigmore where you can contribute to a big floor-based drawing.
The Marketplace
A drop-in art workshop with Heidi Wigmore. Contribute to a big floor-based drawing made from coloured tape, depicting life-sized dynamic figures that have freed themselves from the ‘red tape’ of conventional rules and regulations!
Dates & Times
All times shown in GMT