The founder of a ground-breaking feminist movement has confirmed Perth will again host a wide-ranging celebration of women’s rights and achievements.
The WOW – Women of the World – Festival will return to the Fair City in October.
Perth will be one of just 10 UK cities to host the event, which aims to explore inequalities and challenge traditional gender stereotypes.
The one-day event will feature a series of talks, workshops and performances at Perth Theatre.
Jude Kelly CBE, who launched the festival in London nine years ago, said: “What a pleasure to be returning to Perth for a third year, partnering with Horsecross Arts as we develop the WOW Festival in new ways, linking the women and girls of Scotland with the work of our global movement.
“WOW brings communities together in a joyful and spirited way, providing a unique space for people to work together towards gender equality in their own communities.
“We look forward to welcoming women and girls, men and boys, from across Scotland to Perth Theatre this October.”
The event will be shaped by a series of “WOW Thinkins” events to be held across Scotland, the first of which takes place at Perth Theatre on Tuesday from 6.30pm.
Alexandra Lort Phillips, WOW Perth Festival Programmer said: “This year will see a new and exciting format which looks at What Now and What Next for gender equality globally.
“The lead-in discussion groups across Scotland will shape this programme and ensure we are telling the stories, and celebrating the successes, of women and girls in Scotland – and across the world – today.”
WOW events will be held across the UK throughout the year. The programme will look at how the landscape has changed for women and girls across Scotland in particular, and will discuss solutions to the challenges that remain.
Kelly launched the festival at London’s Southbank Centre, where she was artistic director. She left the centre to run the WOW Foundation full-time in 2018.
Speaking in Perth last year, she said: “We were looking at places around the country where you would say people aren’t as vividly engaged as they are in, say, Glasgow and Edinburgh.
“Perth has less obvious moments where its own citizens are coming together and talking about these things, and that means that change doesn’t accelerate as quickly here.”
The festival will take place in Perth on Saturday, October 5.
