The People's History Museum leads an all-star cast of Manchester's great cultural institutions in celebrating the creative force of females, in Wonder Women 2016. From football and coding to Mean Girls and Thelma and Louise; the festival will showcase performance, film, debate, talks, workshops and exhibitions that will explore women's achievements, in the city that gave rise to the suffrage movement.
Manchesters Feminist Frontline
From 3rd-13th March, the city's museums, galleries, theatres and mills will be staging events that celebrate female creativity and ingenuity - and ask just how far feminism has come since women first began campaigning for the right to vote more than 150 years ago. This is the fourth annual Wonder Women Festival which has attracted an audience of around 40,000 people and is part of a five year project leading up to the centenary of women winning the first partial right to vote in 2018.
Highlights include:
19th February 2016 - 19th March: Husbands and Sons, Royal Exchange
Three of DH Lawrence's greatest dramas are interwoven in Husbands & Sons in which the heroes are the women - the wives, mothers and daughters trying to hold their families and their own souls together. Directed by Marianne Elliott and featuring Anne-Marie Duff.
3rd-31st March: Feminism is Dead, People's History Museum
As part of the People's History Museum's look at modern feminism this exhibition will examine the relevance of modern feminism in today's society. It will look at what it really means to be a feminist in 2015 and the issues that feminists are fighting for and against.
Thursday 3rd March: What IS She Wearing? Manchester Art Gallery
From the Suffragettes to Red Lipstick Day, the Slut Walks and the Pussy Riots to butch and drag, women have long utilised that which is?used to restrict them to strive for freedom and an identity on their own terms. An evening of feminist debate, performance and film, exploring the?aesthetics of protest and consider how clothing and style is used to shape, define and own gender, sexuality and identity.
Saturday 5th March: The Fabric of Protest, People's History Museum
What are the issues facing women today? This session will reflect on positive changes for women made over the last 100 years, and look at what needs to change for the future. Participants in this artist-led workshop with Helen Mather, will create a piece of art using a range of protest materials: ribbons, rosettes, patches, flags and badges with their slogan for change.
Sunday 6th March: Girlfriends with Q&A, HOME
A rare film screening of Claudia Weill's cult film Girlfriends, chronicling female friendship in New York City. This screening features an introduction and post-screening discussion led by Jemma Desai, the founder of I am Dora, a curatorial initiative that explores how women relate to one another through the medium of film.
Monday 7th March: FLIM NITE presents Thelma and Louise, 3 Minute Theatre
What would Thelma and Louise look like distorted by poets, comedians, and musicians? A re-telling of this classic film through an exciting mix of live art; each performer has been given a chunk of 'Thelma and Louise' to turn into something new, transforming a kickass pro-feminist road movie into something unrecognisable for your viewing pleasure.
Tuesday 8th March- INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY
Tuesday 8th March: Born in Flames, HOME
Film screening of Lizzie Borden's 1983 documentary-style futuristic feminist film. This screening will be introduced by Dr Monica Pearl, Lecturer in 20th Century American Literature at the University of Manchester.
Wednesday 9th March: Bridget Christie: A Book For Her, The Lowry
Why has Bridget been sending her stained underpants to George Osborne at HM Treasury every month? Which method actor has been playing the character comedian Nigel Farage since 2010? Is Rachel Dolezal black or white? What's the difference between Eddie Izzard and Caitlyn Jenner? All this and more will be revealed in Bridget's tenth solo show. Followed by a post show book signing.
Thursday 10th March: Written In The Margins at Manchester Jewish Museum
Via a zine workshop, a panel discussion about 'gender as a genre' and a performance of Ovid's Heroines, this after-hours takeover explores the lot of female writers across the board, from journalism to poetry and song writing - looking at the impact of written media on female stereotypes and the representation of women in industries like music, journalism and literature. Confirmed panellists include Vanessa Reed (CEO of PRS For Music Foundation), broadcaster Stuart Maconie, musician Roxanne Du Bastion and Chris Long (BBC Introducing)
Friday 11th March: Girl Gang Manchester #1: Mean Girls, Hope Mill Theatre
Awarded Best Single Event at the national Cinema For All Awards, after it's first outing in Sheffield, Girl Gang now journeys to Manchester, completely re-made with a local team of female creatives. North Shore's Spring Fling is transposed to Manchester for one night only, with a Mean Girls themed takeover of Hope Mill Theatre in Ancoats.
Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th March: Sugar and Spice 10: Women Out Loud, LGBT Foundation
Sugar & Spice is Manchester's annual free International Women's Day celebration for lesbian and bisexual women. Taking place at LGBT Foundation is two days of networking, workshops, discussions, creativity and cake www.lgbt.foundation/sugarandspice
Sunday 13th March: Girls in the Game, National Football Museum
An introductory coding workshop for young people looking into the science of computer gaming. Taking inspiration from the success of the England Ladies in 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup, girls football team, coding clubs, Brownies and museum visitors are invited to use computer coding to put girls at the heart of football games and celebrate all that women and girls have achieved so far in computer coding.
The full programme will be released in January, for more information on the festival as it emerges go to www.creativetourist.com/wonderwomen