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International Women’s Day 2023: Uplifting IWD events in London

Champion the sisterhood this IWD with these brilliant events taking places across the capital

For International Women’s Day 2023 on Wednesday 8 March, the capital is coming to life with a whole host of festivals, tours and initiatives designed to celebrate the sisterhood. First marked over a century ago in 1911 and designed to honour and promote the economic, social, cultural and political achievements of women, International Women’s Day has become a focal point for the women’s rights movement across the world. Here, we’ve rounded up the key International Women’s Day events taking place across the capital this month.

The Glossary Edit

International Women’s Day 2023

The Knitting Klub at Brixton Village
Wednesday 8 March, 6pm to 10.30pm
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Terri Walker

The inaugural ‘The Knitting Klub’ is a celebration of International Women’s Day, curated to inspire women interested in working in the music industry. The ticketed event – the brainchild of Cyndi Handson (of DJ duo Handson Family) and DJ/producer Glade Marie – takes place at BRXTN Village Studios on Coldharbour Lane, welcoming women in music across all binaries and generations to discuss their unique experiences and expertise. Handson and Marie will host the evening, which kicks off with a DJ workshop taster session followed by a Q&A with Mercury Prize winner Speech Debelle and the MOBO award-winning artist Terri Walker, who will share their insight into the industry. Afterwards, guests will be invited to socialise and network with other music professionals across the board.

eventbrite.co.uk

International Women’s Day at The Other Art Fair
9 – 12 March
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Anastasia Tribambuka, Free Today
International Women’s Day 2023: Iwd Events In LondonPin
Ragni Agarwal
International Women’s Day 2023: Iwd Events In LondonPin
Catherine Vermaut, Curly Wurly Painting
International Women’s Day 2023: Iwd Events In LondonPin
Dawn Beckles, Ride Me Collage

To mark International Women’s Day, The Other Art Fair is featuring an impressive 61% female artist line-up, championing some of the most exciting emerging female talents working today. Presented by Saatchi Art, you can expect a vibrant programme of exciting features, guest exhibitions and immersive installations, including a site-specific entrance installation created by The Sistxrhood, Glastonbury’s female, non-binary and trans venue. There’ll also be a presentation by Refugee Art Works (RAW), a new multinational collective of female refugee artists and craft makers, who will be exhibiting artworks created by female refugee artists from Ukraine, Afghanistan, Iran, Syria, and Saudi Arabia.

theotherartfair.com

Annabel’s International Women’s Brunch
Wednesday 8 March
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Annabel’s ever-popular International Women’s Day Brunch is back for another year, boasting an unsurprisingly stellar line-up. Held in their glorious garden, this year it will be hosted by multi-award-winning journalist and author Yomi Adegoke, as she chairs an enlightening panel centring around 2023’s IWD theme, ‘Equity’. Joining her in the morning will be Dr Barbara Sturm, editor Kenya Hunt and Refuge UK CEO Ruth Davison, and there’ll also be a special performance by singer-songwriter Birdy.

 annabels.co.uk

Wow Festival London
10 - 12 March
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Held every year to mark International Women’s Day 2023, Wow – which stands for ‘Women of the World’ – is the largest festival on the planet celebrating women, girls and non-binary people. This year, the festival kicks off with an event that brings together Australia’s first female prime minister, Julia Gillard, activist and author Laura Bates, author Elif Shafak and activist Josephine Kamara for a riveting session on women, misogyny and power. Elsewhere, you’ll find the likes of Shani Dhanda, Megan Barton-Hanson and Stephanie Yeboah covering everything from mental health and the cost of living crisis to baby loss burnout and fat activism. 

thewowfoundation.com

The Standard x East London Strippers Collective
Sunday 5 March
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For a spot of life drawing with a difference, head to The Standard ahead of International Women’s Day, for a special edition of its Standard Talks and Life Drawing class held in partnership with East London Strippers Collective (ELSC). Join ELSC in The Library Lounge as they discuss their pioneering efforts around smashing sex work stigmas and fighting for better working conditions in an hour-long panel talk, before settling down to a two-hour life drawing class, which will reference the rich history of artists using female nudes as their muse. 

standardhotels.com

Art on a Postcard
Bidding open until 9 March
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Emma Richardson, Take Me There
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Clarie Cansick, Vent IV
International Women’s Day 2023: Iwd Events In LondonPin
Venetia Berry, Blue Nude 2

For their fourth International Women’s Day auction, Art on a Postcard (AOAP) has announced an entirely new format for their hugely popular online auctions. They’ve invited seven top female curators, including Beth Greenacre – who counted David Bowie as a client – Mollie Barnes from She Curates and Louise Fitzjohn from Liminal Gallery, to each curate a mini show comprising of 20-25 female artists. Running together as seven concurrent online auctions, each of the shows will be raising money to support The Hepatitis C Trust’s work with women affected by the criminal justice system both in prison and local communities. 

artonapostcard.com

Chef Sally Abé at Conrad St James
Wednesday 8 March
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Following on from the success of last year’s International Women’s Day event, chef Sally Abé has gathered together some of London’s top female hospitality powerhouses for a series of four panel talks and workshops, running simultaneously at Conrad London St. James and The Pem restaurant. Big names including Ravneet Gill, Sabrina Gidda and Poppy O’Toole will be on hand to discuss their journeys in the hospitality industry, sharing tips and stories on everything from building your own brand and getting to the top to creating work life balance and being the best version of yourself.

eventbrite.co.uk

Women: Witches and Wenches at the Museum of London Docklands
Wednesday 8 March
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As part of their current exhibition, Executions, which focuses on the gory details surrounding historical slayings, the Museum of London Docklands is hosting a special talk on International Women’s Day dissecting one of the most infamous female criminals of all: witches. Join special guest speakers Maria Beadell, Vanessa King and Dr Alice Tarbuck as they explore stories of accused women and marginalised ‘magic’, and discuss how beliefs in the occult have lingered to the present day. 

museumoflondon.org.uk

Profession: Documentarist at the Lexi Cinema
Wednesday 8 March
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As a tribute to the women of Iran, who are currently bravely leading a movement against a brutal regime that enforces strict limitations on how they can dress and act, the Lexi Cinema is hosting a one-off screening of the 2014 documentary Profession: Documentarist. Featuring seven different female filmmakers ranging from their late 20s to their early fifties, it depicts their daily struggles, as well as the challenges they face at the hands of the regime. A moving watch, it reminds us of the importance of self-expression, especially during times of social and political unrest. 

thelexicinema.co.uk

Women in Art Walking Tour
Saturday 11 March
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In honour of IWD, the Women of London are hosting a special walking tour around the National Gallery, which will highlight female pioneers from the art world as well as moving the art history narrative away from the traditional male gaze. During the two-and-a-half-hour tour you’ll discover the art of Italian Baroque painter Artemisia Gentileschi, who was influenced by the naturalistic style of Caravaggio, and Rachel Ruysch, who throughout her career commanded more money for her art than Rembrandt ever did. 

eventbrite.co.uk

International Women’s Day 2023 - Dear Black Women Festival
Saturday 11 March
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Usually held during Black History Month in October, this one-day festival is hosting a special event in honour of IWD23, featuring a mix of curated panel talks, interactive workshops and solution-oriented seminars, all dedicated to the intersecting identities of Black women. During the day you’ll find a variety of workshops and activities that focus on physical, mental, and emotional wellness, ranging from yoga and sound healing classes to panel discussions revolving around self-care and self-love. 

eventbrite.co.uk

Born to Exist: The Woman I Know at the Royal Opera House
Wednesday 8 March
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Head to the Royal Opera House on International Women’s Day for an exclusive performance of Joseph Toonga’s Born to Exist: The Woman I Know, followed by a panel discussion between Toonga himself, Creative Producer of the Royal Ballet Emma Southworth and dancers Aishwarya Raut, Nadia Gardner and Kloé Dean. While you’re there, sign up for the ROH’s HerStory tour, which is running until 21 May 2023 and explores the stories of the brilliant woman who have directed, worked on and performed in productions at the renowned Covent Garden theatre. 

roh.org.uk

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