A new festival celebrating women will be popping up in Norwich next spring and people are now being asked for their thoughts on what they would like to see on the line-up.
Norwich Arts Centre has teamed up with London's Southbank Centre to present a WOW - Women of the World Festival at OPEN in Norwich in April 2018.
WOW - a global festival movement - was founded in 2010 by the Southbank Centre's artistic director Jude Kelly, and the Norwich event is one of nine new WOW Festivals being created to mark the centenary of female suffrage in 2018.
Next month a series of events called 'Thinkins' are being held in Norwich to give people a chance to share their views on what they would like to feature in the festival.
Rosie Arnold, programmer for WOW Norwich, said: 'WOW has become a global success because the voices of the local people are so prevalent in each festival. Collaborating closely with the local community ensures each WOW is locally owned and locally appropriate. We're very much looking forward to hearing what the people of Norwich would like to see and hear at WOW Norwich next April.'
Each WOW festival celebrates women and girls and also looks at ways to overcome issues they may face. The festivals usually include talks, debates, music, activism, comedy, workshops and mentoring.
WOW Festival founder Jude Kelly said: 'WOW Festivals are designed to be agents of change in their host cities, providing a space for women to participate in discussion, education and collaboration on the issues that most impact their lives. Launched in 2010 in London, WOW Festivals have engaged and inspired more than 1.5 million women across five continents...WOW is the biggest gathering of women and girls across the globe, and I'm so pleased that Norwich is part of this story for change.'
The new WOW Festivals are being funded by the Spirit of 2012 charity. The Norwich Thinkins are at: OPEN, in Bank Plain, on November 1 7pm-9pm; Christ Church Centre, in Magdalen Road, on November 3 10am-12pm; Norman Centre, in Bignold Road, on November 3 2pm-4pm; and the Targetfollow Room at Norwich Theatre Royal on November 4 1pm-3pm. Places at the Thinkins should be booked in advance - call Norwich Arts Centre box office on 01603 660352 or visit www.norwichartscentre.co.uk
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