WOW Athens

A performer sings passionately on stage at the "WOW Women of the World Festival." There is a colourful cosmic-themed backdrop

WOW Athens launched in 2023 at the iconic Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (SNFCC), marking the beginning of Greece’s chapter in the global WOW movement. The Festival was created to bring attention to the structural inequalities that women and non-binary people face every day – and to create a joyful, inclusive space for bold discussion, creative expression and action.

In a country experiencing a resurgence of feminist dialogue – fuelled by international movements like #MeToo and growing national conversations about gender, violence, and representation – WOW Athens has been a timely cultural force. The Festival’s arrival opened up new platforms for exploring the intersections of identity, power, opportunity, and change.

Image gallery

  • Three women sing on an outdoor stage; one plays accordion, another plays guitar.
  • A person in a purple jacket holds colourful brochures for the WOW Women of the World Festival.
  • Woman in colourful clothing sings into a microphone, eyes closed, with one arm extended.
  • A person wearing a gorilla mask stands at a podium with a serious tone, in front of a screen displaying the words "Guerrilla Girls."

The inaugural WOW Athens was packed with inspiring talks, powerful performances, creative workshops, visual art, mentoring sessions, and a vibrant marketplace. It spotlighted topics such as reproductive rights, body image, caregiving, politics, work, and mental health, alongside joyful experiences in music, dance, food and storytelling. From intimate conversations to large public debates, WOW Athens created a welcoming space for everyone to participate in reimagining gender equity in Greece.

Image gallery

  • Two people wearing gorilla masks pose in front of large sign which says 'Guerrilla Girls'.
  • Three women sit on red chairs on stage with microphones; one speaks to the others. There is a table with water bottles in front
  • Outdoor festival scene showing a colourful sign for "WoW Festival" in the foreground. People casually walk in the sunny background
  • A night market scene features a red tent with people gathered underneath, set against an illuminated building backdrop.

Building on its success, WOW Athens returned in April 2024 and 2025, with new partnerships, expanded programming, and even deeper community engagement. The Festival has quickly become a key date in Athens’ cultural calendar – drawing thousands of participants across generations and geographies. The SNFCC’s expansive public spaces create a uniquely open and celebratory setting, blending activism with art and joy with justice. Speakers and performers have included the Guerilla Girls, Roxane Gay, Arooj Aftab, Pussy Riot’s Nadya Tolokonnikova, Nubya Garcia and Deborah Levy.

WOW Athens offers a rare and much-needed opportunity to bring together people of all genders and backgrounds to reflect, learn, celebrate and challenge together. Whether through a poetry slam, mentoring circle, feminist history tour or a multigenerational discussion about caregiving, WOW Athens invites everyone to help build a more equal future.

Image gallery

  • A woman in a red coat walks past a fence displaying three large black-and-white photos, set against a background of green foliage.
  • A musician plays the saxophone on stage, wearing sunglasses and a patterned outfit. Behind them, a drummer. The scene is dimly lit
  • Two singers perform energetically on an outdoor stage at night, surrounded by band members.
  • Groups of people sit in folding chairs in a sunlit room with large windows, engaged in lively conversations.

About the organisers

WOW Athens is presented by the SNFCC in cooperation with the British Council and with the support of the British Embassy Athens.

Designed by Renzo Piano and the Renzo Piano Building Workshop (RPBW), the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (SNFCC) is a public space, where everyone has free access and can participate in a multitude of cultural, educational, athletic, environmental and recreational activities and events. It includes the Greek National Opera, the National Library of Greece and–at its heart–the Stavros Niarchos Park, the largest public Mediterranean garden in the world. Through its year-long events program the SNFCC has been established as a major agent of culture, as well as an incubator of skills and ideas, in direct conversation with communities and the society at large. The SNFCC was created thanks to an exclusive grant by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF), which delivered it to the Greek State upon completion.

Find out more

Image gallery

  • Two women engage in a discussion on stage at the WOW Festival in Athens. An audience listens attentively, with a vibrant backdrop displaying event details.
  • Aerial view of a busy market with white stalls; one bright red stall displays 'WOW Women of the World' logo.
  • A dynamic live band performs on stage at the Women of the World Festival. Vibrant pink and purple lights illuminate the scene
  • Three women seated on stage in a panel discussion, smiling and speaking into microphones. Audience members listen attentively. There is a bright, colourful background.

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