WOW Manchester

The first WOW Manchester took place from 24-26 May 2024, in partnership with Factory International at their new home at Aviva Studios. The festival brought WOW’s signature energy to a city long known for its radical history and fierce civic pride.

Over three days, WOW Manchester welcomed a bold mix of artists, thinkers, performers and activists from across Greater Manchester and beyond. The programme tackled themes such as the cost of living crisis, body autonomy, masculinity, race and resistance, youth leadership, and joy as activism – all woven through with the celebratory and rebellious spirit for which WOW is known.

Highlights included a family-friendly day rave, a choir of women asylum seekers, tatreez, pottery and plumbing workshops, angst aerobics, and an exchange programme with artists from across South Asia in partnership with the British Council. Speakers included actors Zawe Ashton, Maxine Peake and Liz Carr, author and former hostage Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, stylist Aja Barber and broadcaster Gemma Cairney. 

There were also three headline evening events as part of the Festival: an evening with Spice Girl Mel B; comedian Sara Pascoe in conversation about her book Weirdo; and Jordan Stephens speaking to Miquita Oliver about masculinity, addiction and learning to love.

WOW Manchester created space for big ideas, new connections and celebrated Manchester’s feminist legacy while looking forward to the next generation of changemakers.