Book your tickets now to join the first ever WOW – Women of the World Festival in the North East this October, featuring guests including former Lioness Jill Scott, comedians Athena Kugblenu and Jordan Gray, and TV broadcaster Ashley James. WOW will be taking over Gala Durham for a weekend packed with talks, performances and workshops.
Free Festival Day Passes are available for Saturday 18th October – these give you the chance to explore sessions on everything from politics to pop culture, sex to sport, activism to art – with a special focus on the realities hitting women hardest, from the cost of living crisis to climate change and more. There’ll be mindfulness painting, dance workshops, and poetry that grabs you by the heart. All of the Day Pass events in the main auditorium at Gala Durham will be BSL Interpreted by Jenna Johnson and Captioned by My Clear Text.
As well as the festival day, there are two evening events taking place as part of the festival which will be BSL Interpreted and Captioned. On Friday 17th October at 7pm, WOW will kick off the festival with Keeping Sane-ish. Join comedians Athena Kugblenu and Jordan Gray alongside WOW Founder Jude Kelly CBE for an evening of sharp wit, outrageous stories, and chaotic fun. Together they’ll tackle the everyday madness of modern life: the strife, the silliness, and the surprising moments of joy that keep us going.On Saturday 18th October at 7pm, we’ll conclude the WOW Festival weekend with An Evening with Ashley James, in conversation with writer Emma Dabiri. Join broadcaster, DJ, and outspoken feminist Ashley James for a powerful and personal evening exploring what it means to be a woman in today’s world. Known for her honesty about everything from postpartum realities to online misogyny, Ashley has built a platform rooted in authenticity, activism, and breaking down stigma.
