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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 CBE 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 menopause myths to football, and reproductive justice to being a basic witch! Speakers include Australia’s first woman Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Manchester legend DJ Paulette.
The beating heart of the Festival is the bustling Marketplace – a hub of urgency, generosity and conversation with over 70 pop-ups to explore. Get stuck in with a range of workshops led by Greater Manchester’s rich and diverse talent. Learn how to DJ, develop new textile skills, dance, draw, garden 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, Pakistan and 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 and genders. 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. This includes access to the South Warehouse bustling marketplace, where you’ll find a whole host of different creative workshops, conversation stations, talks, performances and work from artists across the globe.
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.
Bringing the next gen along with you? Kids under 12 can attend for free across the weekend.
Part of WOW Manchester.
Saturday line-up
All times shown in GMT
“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.
HERcienda: Women, music and Manchester
1:00pm
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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.
The Chain: Sisterhood, Sex and Storytelling
4:00pm
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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.
Artistic Installations
11:00am
–
5:00pm
Artists Ina-Maria Shikongo and Tania Kovats will join us across the weekend to exhibit specially commissioned work .
Artistic Installations
11:00am – 5:00pmArtists Ina-Maria Shikongo and Tania Kovats will join us across the weekend to exhibit specially commissioned work .
The Marketplace
Artists Ina-Maria Shikongo and Tania Kovats will join us across the weekend to exhibit specially commissioned work.
Total Block out!
11:00am
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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 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.
Dates & Times
All times shown in GMT