The 2021 programme features a smörgåsbord of empowering talks and urgent debates which will be broadcast from the TicketCo website, as well as live workshops held over Zoom. To help attendees navigate the broad offering, the foundation has launched an interactive map to showcase the full line-up. The underlying theme of this year’s festival is recognising the new obstacles women, girls and non-binary people now face as a result of recent global events.
Photo: WOW – Women of the World Festival
The core purpose of WOW remains very much the same: to connect the stories of women and girls with active change-making globally. And while the UK Festival’s events will be available to stream around the world, sister WOW Festivals are also being held in New York, Nepal, Pakistan, Istanbul and Bangladesh over that same period.
Here are the highlights to look out for at the 2021 WOW UK Festival.
Letters Live
To mark International Women’s Day, a special edition of Letters Live is being held in conjunction with The Show Must Go On as part of WOW Festival. Letters Live events see a heady line-up of A-listers read a powerful selection of real-life letters, often penned by important historical and literary figures. Bringing together some of the most celebrated readings from over the years, this filmed edition of the event is a chance to catch readings from Olivia Colman, Adwoa Aboah, Gillian Anderson, Rose McGown, Caitlin Moran and more. The show is available to watch free on YouTube for seven days, with all donations going to the WOW Foundation.
Admission: FREE
WHEN: 8 March, 7pm
WHERE: The Show Must Go On YouTube
Click here for access
Kimberlé Crenshaw In Conversation
The events of 2020 thrust the Black Lives Matter movement further into the spotlight. Championing Black rights is Kimberlé Crenshaw, who coined the term 'Intersectionality’ in 1989 and has gone on to create the #SayHerName campaign, fighting for the forgotten women who have died at the hands of police. Here, Crenshaw speaks to WOW’s Jude Kelly about why the Black community has been disproportionately impacted by Covid-19, and the changes she hopes to see going forward.
Admission: £1 - £5
When: Friday 12 March, 8pm - 9:30pm
Click here for access
Emilia. Photo: Helen Murray
Workshop: Emilia – Our Time Is Now
A workshop from the team behind Olivier Award-winning musical Emilia, questioning who were the forgotten women of history and why their stories were erased from the books. The class is being led by Emilia playwright Morgan Lloyd Malcolm and director Nicole Charles, who will discuss why they fell in love with Elizabethan writer Emilia Bassano, and why women should stand up and demand to be counted.
Admission: £3+
When: Saturday 6 March, 4pm
Click here for access
Ruby Wax: And Now for the Good News
In need of a positivity injection? Join comedian and writer Ruby Wax as she delivers an hour of optimism in conversation with writer and broadcaster Fearne Cotton. The pair are discussing how recent developments in technology, education and business are turning our world into a better place.
Admission: £1 - £5
When: Wednesday 17 March, 8pm
Click here for access
Sex in Lockdown
How has the pandemic impacted our sex lives? Such is the topic of this frank conversation, which brings together writers and sexperts Lucy-Anne Holmes and Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah, and performer, playwright and poet Dr Jessi Parrott. Listen in as the three discuss whether sex and social distancing are simply unnatural bedfellows.
Admission: £5
When: Friday 19 March, 8pm
Click here for access
Catherine Mayer (left) and Anne Mayer Bird (right). Photo: Leo Cackket.
Good Grief: Catherine Mayer and Anne Mayer Bird In Conversation
2020 was a tough year for us all but for none more so than founder of the Women’s Equality Party Catherine Mayer and her mother Anne Mayer Bird, who both lost their beloved husbands while the pandemic was in its infancy. Here, they speak to presenter Anita Anand about their intertwined stories and learning to navigate loss, topics explored in their new book Good Grief.
Admission: £1 - £5
When: Friday 5 March, 8pm
Click here for access
Women in Greek Myths: Natalie Haynes and Bettany Hughes
The Greek myths are among the world's most important historical building blocks, but rarely is there enough focus on the remarkable women at the heart of these ancient stories. Join author and comedian Natalie Haynes and historian Bettany Hughes as they embark on a voyage of discovery to reveal the real stories of women from Greek myths.
Admission: £1 - £5
When: Wednesday 10 March, 8pm
Click here for access
Workshop: Everyone’s An Artist, with Bryony Kimmings
As those who have seen any one of her exceptional shows will know, Bryony Kimmings is an expert in turning the gritty realities of everyday life into compelling performance pieces. The musician, performance artist and screenwriter is also convinced there’s an artist hiding in all of us, and here she’s hosting a workshop on how to access inner creativity.
Admission: £10
When: Sunday 21 March, 2pm
Click here for access
Sheila Heti and Avni Doshi In Conversation
Will the post-pandemic world be more open to conversations around parenthood and accepting of women who choose not to have children? Hear from Motherhood author Sheila Heti and Burnt Sugar author Avni Doshi as they discuss the complexity, trauma and joy in an ambivalence towards motherhood.
Admission: £1 - £5
When: Thursday 11 March, 8pm
Click here for access
Workshop: Under-10s Feminist Corner
WOW Festival’s Under-10s Feminist Corner is where children of all genders can explore what it means for girls and boys to be equal, and discover what life is like for girls across the world. This year, the Corner is hosting just one interactive workshop, suitable for ages seven to 10 (and with just 10 places available!), which will explore gender equality and offer tips on how to start your own campaign.
Admission: £1 - £5
When: Saturday 6 March, 10am
Click here for access
All WOW UK Festival events will be available online and can be streamed anywhere worldwide. Visit the Ticketco Festival page to book. Tickets start at £1 or audiences can buy a pass to watch the whole season from £25.
| What | Celebrate International Women's Day with WOW – Women of the World Festival |
| When |
01 Mar 21 – 21 Mar 21, Times vary for specific events |
| Price | £1 - £25 |
| Website | Click here for more information and to book |
