International Women’s Day arrives on Tue 8 Mar and Manchester has really shown up for the occasion this year.
There are heaps of great events all dedicated to celebrating, supporting and uplifting women from all over, from city-wide walks to incredible photography exhibitions to buzzing club nights—here’s everything that’s going on in and around the city for International Women’s Day.
The lovely lot down at Contact Theatre have an incredible lineup of shows popping up around International Women’s Day. First up is ‘News News News’ on Sat 5 Mar, all about interrogating the world around us through the eyes of the future generation following an interview with MP for Central Manchester Lucy Powell.
Next up is ‘The Glad Game’ by Phoebe Frances Brown happening Wed 16 Mar – Thu 17 Mar. The show follows Phoebe’s story of an incurable cancer diagnosis at the age of 26 and how she found happiness in the most emotionally testing of times.
Finally is Miray Sidhom’s ‘The Bread We Break’ carrying you through until the end of the month playing from Thu 24 Mar – Thu 31 Mar. Covering the history of political uprising from the present day back to the Pharaonic era, Egyptian born feminist theatre-maker Miray Sidhom’s new show is definitely one to check out.
Manchester City Council is marking the occasion of International Women’s Day this year with a Walk for Women from the Castlefield Urban Heritage Park on Liverpool Road all the way to Cathedral Gardens.
The community city-wide walk is a great opportunity for people from all over to come together with loved ones, coworkers and just about anyone else to share your passion for equality, diversity and social progress.
Whether you show up in a big group or just on your tod, be sure to bring whatever instruments you can and throw yourself into the chants, singing and conversation that’ll be sure to make your week!
Get yourself over to Manchester Central Library for an incredible afternoon to celebrate the International Women’s Day Manchester Festival featuring interactive talks, eye-catching exhibitions and some stellar live performances.
In collaboration with The Zebra Partnership, this year’s festival will host an amazing workshop with Cllr Eve Holt on safe cycling for women alongside a whole jam-packed programme of speeches, dance, musical performances, spoken word and heaps more!
Suffragette City’s annual celebration of International Women’s Day is just around the corner and we couldn’t be more excited. All about creating a sense of unity through music, this year’s event boasts an amazing line-up of the finest female and non-binary DJ talents all in an effort to raise funds for local grassroots charities.
With three floors of music, a well-stocked bar area and a club space perfect for grooving, this is probably the most fun way to show your support for International Women’s Day. Blasting Acid House, Disco and all the best club classics—Suffragette City will not disappoint.
Happening on the day of itself is Brighter Sound’s insane takeover of the Depot Mayfield for a launch of a bold and brilliant new manifesto for gender equality in the music industry.
The project sees the premiere of a large-scale and immersive audiovisual installation created by multimedia artist Rebecca Smith, aka Urban Projections, and developed over the past few months with the support of a group of creative women (inclusive) from the North of England.
Running until midnight, expect a phenomenal line-up of some of the best talent the city has to offer including the likes of Girls Don’t Sync and Shannen SP.
Head to the People’s History Museum for a buzzing day of protest songs, discussions, activities and stalls including some killer live music from LGBTQI+ disabled activist Mx Dennis Queen and Radical Women tours.
The event, brought about with the museum’s partnership with the Nothing About Us Without Us Steering Group, will explore the fight for activism, intersectionality and inclusion for all.
Celebrate some of the city’s best musical talent at Manchester stalwart, GRUB, throughout an afternoon of acoustic sets from female musicians.
If you’re looking for something a little more chilled out, then this is the one for you. Topped off with some killer indie street food and craft beers, what better way to spend the afternoon?
Now this one looks super exciting. Coming to the iconic Stoller Hall as part of their Sounds of Nature programme is a special performance from Her Ensemble celebrating over 2000 years of female composers.
Her Ensemble is a brilliant string orchestra collective with an admirable aim to make a mark on the gender gap within the music industry while simultaneously carving out a creative space for musicians of marginalised genders.
Merging classical elements and pop influences, this group has completely reinvented and revamped the classical concert experience, so head on down and see for yourself the amazing work being done by Her Ensemble.
If you’re in the mood for some independent theatre this International Women’s Day, head to Waterside Arts in Sale for an excellent production performed by Emma Laidlaw all about Sylvia Pankhurst’s story.
Championing her acts of justice, activism and resilience, this play will follow Pankhurst and her incredible journey of standing up against a British Establishment, demonstrating her long-lasting legacy of fighting back against discrimination.
Cheetham Hill’s very own indie cinema, Chapeltown Picture House, has a few great events going on to celebrate International Women’s Day this year including an international burlesque sensation curated by the award-winning artiste, Lady Wildflower.
Hosted by Kiki Deville and starring Savage Rose, Natasha Moonshine and Lady Wildflower herself, be sure to strap yourself in and expect larger-than-life performances, bucket-loads of sass and an evening of show-stopping fun.
Join the great people at Z-arts the Sunday before International Women’s Day for a fun-filled afternoon of creative workshops hosted by some of the theatre’s own amazing women.
Whether you opt for storytelling, music, dance or art, there’s something for everyone at every age, so head on over and throw yourself into a bunch of feel-good sessions all centred around promoting equality through empowering creativity.
The iconic Band on the Wall is finally back, and marking International Women’s Day the venue presents a stellar lineup of female talent topped by the incredible alt-R&B tones of Akemi Fox.
Her most recent single, Lemon Tea, has catapulted Akemi to a new level of acclaim, making this a prime chance to catch her on one of the city’s more intimate stages.
The UK’s first solely female-owned, independent rum brand has teamed up with NQ stalwart Cottonopolis for an exhibition that celebrates the faces of Manchester’s women in hospitality.
Alongside the exhibition, Diablesse and female bartenders from Cottonopolis have created a series of cocktails to highlight the gender pay gap. Visitors can pick between two prices 20% part, with the difference being donated to The Young Women’s Trust.
- Words:
- Rhiannon Ingle
- Published on:
- Mon 7 Mar 2022
Working in a fab collab with British Culture Archive comes ‘A Woman’s Work’ exhibition—a collection of work produced by female artists based in the North.
Photographers Tish Murtha and Anne Worthington will be displaying their evocative work together for the first time on the exhibition wall of The Refuge. Both photographers effortlessly capture the elements of community, industrialisation and everyday life on the fringes of society. Featuring drinks, nibbles and some of the city’s best female DJs, Lil Minx and DJ Paulette, spinning until late, head on down to show your support.