Loading...
Press Release
PRESS RELEASE - 9 SEPTEMBER 2025
EMBARGOED UNTIL 10:15AM 9 SEPTEMBER 2025
WOW - WOMEN OF THE WORLD ANNOUNCES FURTHER LINE-UP FOR WOW NORTH EAST INCLUDING JILL SCOTT MBE
WOW - WOMEN OF THE WORLD ANNOUNCES FURTHER LINE-UP FOR WOW NORTH EAST, ITS FIRST FESTIVAL IN THE REGION CELEBRATING THE BIRTH OF THE RAILWAY AND S&DR200
FORMER LIONESS JILL SCOTT MBE JOINS THE LINE-UP FOR A SESSION REFLECTING ON HER REMARKABLE JOURNEY
HIGHLIGHTS ALSO INCLUDE THE PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED AN EVENING WITH ASHLEY JAMES IN CONVERSATION WITH AUTHOR AND BROADCASTER EMMA DABIRI
TRAILBLAZING ACTIVISTS, THINKERS, SPEAKERS AND PERFORMERS WILL PRESENT TWO DAYS OF LAUGHTER, JOY AND URGENT CONVERSATIONS COVERING THE MOST TALKED ABOUT ISSUES FACING WOMEN, GIRLS AND NON-BINARY PEOPLE IN THE NORTH EAST, AND AROUND THE WORLD
OTHER WOW EVENTS WILL TAKE PLACE ACROSS THE NORTH EAST IN THE RUN UP TO THE FESTIVAL IN LOCATIONS INCLUDING SUNDERLAND, SOUTH SHIELDS, MIDDLESBROUGH, NEWCASTLE AND HEXHAM
THE WOW SHOW WITH JUDE KELLY WILL ALSO TOUR THE REGION, WITH SPECIAL GUESTS TO BE ANNOUNCED
WOW NORTH EAST IS ONE OF SEVERAL GLOBAL EVENTS CELEBRATING WOW’S 15TH ANNIVERSARY YEAR
WOW - Women of the World has today announced further line-up for their first ever WOW North East Festival on 18 October 2025 at Gala Durham.
Broadcaster and former Lioness Jill Scott MBE will headline the festival programme with a special live event. From winning the UEFA Women’s Euro 2022 with England to her hilarious and heartfelt turn on I’m a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!, Jill has won over hearts across the country with her grit, humour, and unmistakable North East spirit.
Jill will reflect on her remarkable journey – from kicking a ball around in Sunderland as a child, to becoming one of the most respected figures in women’s football. Expect laughter, inspiration, and no shortage of great stories as she shares the highs and lows of a life in sport, her experience breaking barriers in a male-dominated field, and what comes next now that she’s swapped the pitch for punditry and presenting. Jill Scott’s conversation will take place as the closing session for WOW North East, and will be included in the free festival day pass.
Alongside Jill Scott MBE, WOW North East will be brimming with events and panels for festival day pass holders – from raw conversations on maternal healthcare and motherhood, to a fresh look at women’s work within industry in Sophie Piper’s new photographic exhibition. The festival will also feature panels on the impact of race tensions and life beyond the riots that shook the region with speakers including Yasmin Khan and Faty Kane and urgent conversations about what comes next for our communities with speakers including Tracy Brabin and Charlie Kemp.
The festival will open with special guests celebrating the North East in all its glory from the proud history of the railways to the stories of local people driving things forward, and everything else that makes the North East special. They’ll explore the role that women and girls had in the huge leap forward that the creation of the railway presented 200 years ago, and how the world can make sure that women and girls are at the centre of the next wave of technological advancement right around the globe.
Joy and injustice will sit side by side as the festival looks at how both economic innovation and financial hardship is shaping women’s lives in the North East. Sessions will include workshops on finance and f*ck off funds, aimed at empowering women to take control of their finances with entrepreneur Jordan Groody to more panel sessions with women at the fore of business and STEM including Hays Travel founder Dame Irene Hays and Chi Onwurah MP.
WOW’s flagship WOW Big Ideas and WOWBites sessions will see some of the region's most compelling and inspiring speakers explore complex societal issues, including Teissy Easton on grief, child loss and honouring memory through dance through a powerful performance with her son; to psychiatrist and activist Dr Nina Burrowes on alternative forms of justice for survivors. Kate Craddock and Google's Freya Salway will also explore the legacy of Getrude Bell and the future of AI and the arts and Dr Lucy Reynolds will discuss her motivations for founding the organisation ‘We are all Disabled’. Sade Sangowawa will also share the joy and struggles behind setting up the transformative Middlesbrough based organisation, ‘Taste of Africa’. Margaret Hedley will share her research based in the Durham coalfield and the resilience and resourcefulness of women who were silent and invisible.
Award-winning playwright and and Artistic director of Open Clasp Catrina McHugh MBE will join the Festival to open a screening of ‘Rupture’, a film co-created three miles down the road with the women of HMP Low Newton, exploring the reality of motherhood for prisoners; whilst young people from South Shields and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil will explore the outcome of a grassroots project exploring activism and the arts, funded by the AHRC, and part of a wider research programme developed in partnership with King's College London, Redes da Maré (Brazil), People's Palace Projects and Queen Mary University.
Former MEP and local activist Julie Ward will host a climate cafe, and founder of BokBok books Rumana Yasmin will run a Bengali inspired embroidery workshop. There will also be painting workshops with Katie Dyer as well as mural painting, a hilarious gameshow on ‘how to be good in bed’ run by the Consent Collective and a series of pop up performances with Tees Women Poets while hula hooping will take place with Newcastle Circus Arts.
Ravinda Cheema will lead a Bollywood dance class in addition to dance workshops led by the much loved Stockton based duo, Urban Kaos, as dancer Laura Connolly leads a fusion of clog dancing and hip hop in Clogbeatz, celebrating Durham’s clog dancing past.
There will be singing and entertainment with community choir Girls, Theys and Slays, protest songwriting with homegrown musical talent Beccy Owen, and a closing performance by folk singer- songwriter Amelia Coburn, as well a theatre showcase of some of best and most exciting shows across the North East right now which will include artists Maryam Ali, Luca Rutherford and Vici Wreford Sinnott.
Throughout the day, WOW North East will also be celebrating the LGBTQ+ community of the region through a Pride Banners Workshop from Curious Arts and working with artist Lady Kitt to proudly explore life and creativity beyond the binary with Drag Declares Emergency.
Outside the grounds of Gala Durham, Curious Caravan will join the festival, sharing stories of underrepresented communities, raising awareness of the issues they face while also gathering new stories from the people they meet. There’ll be opportunities to write cards to women in local detention centres and create moments of joy in this artist led interaction. Audiences will also have the opportunity to get hammering with SAWDUST! and create eco-friendly pop up seating for festival goers. Working with The Story and S&DR200, WOW have also commissioned a new set of city tours unearthing women's history in the region with accessible routes available.
For under-10s, the return of WOW Under 10s Feminist Corner will encourage children to find out what they can do to fight for equality in a series of fun workshops, and discover what life is like for girls across the world.
As previously announced, WOW North East is for all to attend. Following a festival day for schools across the region on Friday 17 October, it will open its doors to people of all ages on Saturday 18 October for a free, all-day festival brimming with energy, ideas, and inspiration which will explore what it means to be a woman and non-binary person in the North East today. Free festival passes are available to book now through WOW’s website.
Festival-pass holders will be able to explore everything from politics to pop culture, sex to sport, and activism to art through personal, local stories of resilience and activism, events, performances, panels, headline interviews and workshops. There will also be thought-provoking moments, joy and celebration at every turn with mindfulness painting and radical song-making, surprise poetry pop-ups and music, dance and theatre performances. There will be a marketplace of stalls and activity in the main atrium, and a chance for attendees to nominate themselves or others for the Hope Brigade with photographer Joanne Coates.
Then, in a separately ticketed festival event on Saturday evening, WOW will be joined by broadcaster, DJ, and outspoken feminist Ashley James for a powerful and personal conversation exploring what it means to be a woman in today’s world. Known for her honesty about everything from postpartum realities to online misogyny, Ashley has built a platform rooted in authenticity, activism, and breaking down stigma. She will be interviewed by acclaimed writer and broadcaster Emma Dabiri.
As part of the wider programme of WOW North East events taking part across the region, on Friday 17 October at Live Theatre in Newcastle, WOW and Live Theatre presents the world premiere reading of Astell and Woolf, a sharp new comedy by Shelagh Stephenson. When pioneering feminist Mary Astell meets Virginia Woolf in the afterlife, the result is a riotous, thought-provoking clash of minds. Gemma Whelan (Games of Thrones, Gentleman Jack) will star as Viriginia Woolf.
Additionally, as part of this wider programme and fresh from its Edinburgh Fringe run, The WOW Show with Jude Kelly will also be at Gala Durham on 11 October 2025. Jude Kelly and some special guests will embark on bold conversations as part of the Durham Book Festival for an interactive evening discussing big ideas and current pressing issues, with a very special guest to be announced. This is part of a larger regional tour, and will also go to Middlesbrough and Hexham.
Jill Scott MBE says: “I’m thrilled to be part of WOW here in the North East. It’s so exciting to see such an incredible event taking place in this region and to have the chance to showcase all the amazing talent we have here. Being able to celebrate that with the community that shaped me makes it even more special"
Jude Kelly, Founder Director of The WOW Foundation says: "In WOW's 15th anniversary year, I'm delighted WOW is finding a new home in the North East, in partnership with S&DR200. It's a region close to my heart, full of creativity and innovation. I am thrilled this year to also be welcoming Jill Scott, Ashley James, and Emma Dabiri to our wonderful lineup of academics, activists, and artists in celebrating this region. When I founded WOW in 2010, I had huge ambitions for raising the voices of women across the world, and 15 years on, I'm so proud that more than 150 WOW Festivals and events have taken place in 71 locations across six continents, creating change and joy in so many communities and for so many people.
Niccy Hallifax, S&DR200 Festival Director, said: “We’re thrilled to welcome WOW to the North East as part of the S&DR200 celebrations. The Stockton & Darlington Railway changed the world 200 years ago, and this partnership with WOW brings that spirit of innovation and progress into the present. By spotlighting on all voices but especially experiences of women, girls and non-binary people, WOW North East is helping us reimagine the future while honouring the past. It’s a powerful reminder that the region’s legacy of transformation continues today—in our communities, our conversations, and our creativity. This is about moving forward positively and with confidence and I know all those who attend will feel empowered and inspired by our many events as part of the festival this October.”
Over the past 15 years, 150 WOW Festivals and events have taken place in 71 locations on six continents celebrating women, girls and non-binary people. Attracting five million people worldwide, WOW has supported thousands of activists, brought previously taboo subjects into mainstream dialogue and acted as a catalyst for the launch and success of countless campaigns. In its 15th anniversary year, events and festivals take place in Baltimore, Athens, Istanbul, Lahore, Rio de Janeiro, Rotherham, Edinburgh, across the North East of England and Gladstone, Australia.
The WOW Foundation is proudly supported by its Global Founding Partner Bloomberg.
ENDS
For further information please contact:
Chloe Heard chloe@breadandbutterpr.uk
Kate Hassell kate@breadandbutterpr.uk
LISTINGS
WOW North East 2025
Friday 17 - Saturday 18 October 2025, Gala Durham
Free
Tickets on sale here
BSL interpreted and Live Captioned
WOW North East commissioned and produced by The WOW Foundation and S&DR200.
An Evening With Ashley James at WOW
Saturday 18 October, 7pm
Tickets £10 / £5 concessions
On sale here
WOW NORTH EAST ELSEWHERE
WOW North East and Live Theatre presents
Woolf and Astell
Friday 17 October
7pm
Tickets here
The WOW Show with Jude Kelly: North East
Saturday 11 - Tuesday 14 October 2025
Gala Durham, Middlesbrough Theatre and Queen’s Hall Arts Centre, Hexham
Tickets here
WOW North East commissioned and produced by The WOW Foundation and S&DR200.
About The WOW Foundation
The WOW Foundation was created by Jude Kelly CBE in 2018 to run the global movement that is WOW - Women of the World Festivals. The Festivals began in the UK in 2010, launched by Kelly at the Southbank Centre London, where she was Artistic Director, to celebrate women and girls, taking a frank look at what prevents them from achieving their potential, raising awareness globally of the issues they face, and discussing solutions together.
To date, WOW has reached five million people in 71 locations on six continents, in locations including Australia, Brazil, China, Egypt, Finland, Greece, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Somaliland, the UK and the USA.
Over the last 15 years the Festivals have developed a reputation as a space for world renowned artists, activists, thinkers and performers including Angela Davis, Malala Yousafzai, Annie Lennox, Patrick Stewart, Baroness Doreen Lawrence and Salma Hayek, to come and participate, alongside thousands of women and girls who don’t have public profiles but are doing amazing things. WOW provides platforms for people of all kinds, changes attitudes, brings communities together and provides a unique space for people to work together towards gender equity in their own communities.
One example of the Festival’s impact came in 2015, with the founding of the Women’s Equality Party by Sandi Toksvig and Catherine Mayer.
In 2018 Kelly left the Southbank Centre to run The WOW Foundation full time as a charity working to build, convene and sustain a global movement that believes a gender equal world is possible and desirable through festivals and empowering women and girls. The unique festival model creates numerous pathways for participants to take part in WOW projects, amplify their own causes, or start new initiatives which have a wide impact on communities. It is the biggest, most comprehensive and most significant festival dedicated to presenting work by women and promoting equity for women and girls.
WOW Festival was originally produced and presented by Southbank Centre.
The President of WOW - Women of the World is Her Majesty The Queen.
About S&DR200
S&DR200 is delivered by Darlington Borough Council, Durham County Council and Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council. Running until November 2025, the S&DR200 festival offers something for everyone, with highlights throughout the year including a recreation of the first journey on the Stockton and Darlington railway with a newly commissioned replica of Locomotion No. 1, free large-scale outdoor events, exhibitions focusing on the history of railways and bringing together paintings of national significance, botanical and sensory installations, iconic locomotives, and newly commissioned artworks showcased in public spaces, libraries, and world-class museums.
27 September 2025 marks the 200th anniversary of the opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway.
The 26-mile journey on the S&DR between Shildon and Stockton via Darlington on 27 September 1825 transformed how the world traded, travelled, and communicated. The S&DR200 festival will celebrate the region’s pioneering past and look forward to its future with a series of large-scale outdoor events, exhibitions and new art commissions in its public spaces, libraries, and world-class museums, including Preston Park Museum & Grounds, Locomotion, Hopetown and The Story. www.sdr200.co.uk