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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!