WOW Scotland Launch & Fundraiser Event
Sunday 5th March 2023
2 – 4pm
Oran Mor, Glasgow

This will be a fantastic afternoon of performance, conversation and activism with 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, Roza Salih, Danielle Jam and Annie Grace. 

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. 

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.”

WOW was founded by Jude Kelly at the Southbank Centre 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.

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.”

The Launch & Fundraiser event is supported by Creative Scotland, Dot + Dell PR and Oran Mor.

Support WOW Scotland

Your support will help WOW Scotland become the big, beautiful thing we know it can be.

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For more information contact marianne.maxwell@mail.com

Get involved:

Every WOW Festival starts with ‘WOW Think Ins’.

Every WOW Festival starts with Think Ins and WOW Scotland starts right here. It’s time to have your say on WOW Scotland 2023! We’re partnering with Engender Scotland and Girl Guiding Scotland to host two informal online sessions to tell us who and what you would most like to see this year and how plans for WOW festivals and events in Scotland can contribute to and platform the vital conversations around gender equality.

We want to hear what you have to say!

WOW Scotland and Girl Guiding Scotland Think In
Thursday 9 Feb 7pm - session will last 90 minutes

WOW Scotland are collaborating with Girl Guiding Scotland to explore young people’s views on gender equality. The session will be co-hosted by members of GGS Speak Out Champions and Lou Brodie from the WOW Scotland Team.

WOW Scotland and Engender Think In
Monday 6th March 3pm - session will last 90 minutes

WOW Scotland are collaborating with Engender to explore how plans for WOW festivals and events in Scotland can contribute to the conversation around Scottish Media, Culture and Sport, building on the NACWG recommendation, the work of the GEMS Development Project, and the proposed new Equal Media and Culture Centre for Scotland.

The WOW foundation

WOW Scotland is presented in partnership with The WOW Foundation. WOW Festivals are presented by arrangement with Southbank Centre, London. The WOW Foundation is proudly supported by its Global Founding Partner Bloomberg, and Global Partner Mastercard. Find out more www.thewowfoundation.com

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