Global feminist festival coming to Glasgow this year - with a fundraising event in the Oran Mor

Women of the World Scotland Festival (WOW) is set to kick off 2023 with a special fundraising event at Glasgow’s Òran Mór.

The inaugural event will be a fantastic afternoon of performance, conversation and activism hosted by Elaine C Smith, WOW founder Jude Kelly CBE and a sparkling line up of guests and performers, including Nicola Benedetti, Karine Polwart, Blythe Duff, Gemma Cairney, Jo Clifford, Annie Grace, Roza Salih and Danielle Jam.

WOW is the world’s biggest festival celebrating women, girls and non-binary people. Production Company, Raw Material, known for their award-winning theatre productions, are bringing this global festival to locations across Scotland in 2023 in partnership with The WOW Foundation. 

Margaret-Anne O’Donnell, part of the WOW Scotland team said “we are thrilled to embark on this journey of discovery and community and bring WOW to Scotland. Gender equality is an issue which affects so many aspects of our lives. There is so much we all have to share, listen to and learn from living in Scotland today. We want to hear from anyone who considers themselves affected by these issues.”

Through festivals, events and more, WOW challenges the belief that gender equality has already been achieved – taking a frank look at the obstacles women, girls, non-binary and trans-gender people face, helping join the dots between people, movements and ideas that change the world.

While each festival is different in its own wonderful, unique way, there are elements that stay consistent at every WOW Festival wherever you are in the world; from the WOW Marketplace to Under 10’s Feminist Corners. 

Every WOW Festival starts with ‘WOW Think Ins’, which is a chance for people to have their say on what WOW Festivals should be about. WOW Scotland will be hosting four WOW Think Ins in the lead up to the first fundraising event, two online and two in-person. Each WOW Think In will be presented in partnership with organisations including Engender and Girl Guiding Scotland with more to be confirmed.

Dr Miranda Barty-Taylor from Engender said “Engender is delighted to be partnering with WOW Scotland for this exciting event. There are growing, urgent calls for change in Scotland’s news media, sport, and creative sectors. This event will give us a vital opportunity to hear from women working in these sectors about what changes they want to see.”

WOW was founded by Jude Kelly at the Southbank Centre in London in 2010, and Jude set up The WOW Foundation in 2018 to run the global movement. WOW Festivals and events take place year-round celebrating women and girls across the globe at over 100 festivals, across six continents, reaching more than five million people to date.

The WOW Scotland Launch Event takes place on Sunday March 5 (2pm-4pm) at Glasgow’s Òran Mór. For more information and to book tickets for the fundraiser - check out the Eventbrite booking website - for more information about the festival set to take place in Autumn this year - visit the Women of the World website.