Women's Voices: A Celebration
Submissions for 2026 Now Open
A Female-Led Festival Produced and curated by Naomi Sorkin and Presented by The Playground Theatre
Women's Voices: A Celebration (WVAC) is a pioneering & inspiring festival to coincide with International Women's Day. The event brings together a diverse & exceptional group of female artists from multiple art forms- theatre, music, dance & literature, exhibitions, talks, performances & workshops with communities.
Each lineup features a host of remarkable women from various creative disciplines, each distinguished by their unique voices and powerful storytelling.
Where it began
The Women’s Voices: A Celebration was exactly that - a time to reflect on and embrace the incredible women artists working across a range of creative disciplines, and to hear what they have to say. From emerging playwrights and filmmakers to highly recognised artists, this year we presented a rich tapestry of work spanning music, theatre, dance, film, literature, and visual art. These were stories by women in a world where gender equality is still far from reality - even in the so-called evolved Western societies. With women’s rights under attack and headlines too often dominated by violence, abuse, or attempts to silence women (such as the cases of Jess Phillips and Gisèle Pelicot), the festival highlighted how essential it is to amplify women’s voices. Shockingly, women continue to represent a small proportion of work produced across the arts, with only a few exceptions such as literature and painting.
Centered around International Women’s Day, WVAC was a first-of-its-kind event, showcasing the brilliance, diversity, and multitalent of women past and present. The festival explored stories across time and place from 10th century Japan and 12th century Germany, to 18th century France, 19th century America, and the early and later 20th century - through to today’s pressing conversations about race and gender politics. The program culminated in a play celebrating one of the world’s most prominent feminists, Gloria Steinem, leaving audiences inspired and challenged in equal measure.
— NAOMI SORKIN, Curator and Creative Producer, The Playground Theatre
Next Year
Looking ahead to next year, WVAC will return with even more opportunities for women creators to share their work and stories. With a top secret line-up in the works, we also want to hear from you. Whether you are a writer, director, performer, musician, or visual artist, we encourage you to submit your projects for consideration. Join us in shaping the next edition of this groundbreaking festival, and help us continue to amplify women’s voices across the arts.
Our Highlights From Last Year
Female Artists - We want to hear from you!
Do you have a story to tell, a performance to share, or an idea that deserves to be seen and heard?
Women’s Voices: A Celebration is all about showcasing bold, diverse, and inspiring female-led creativity and we’d love to see what you can bring to the stage. Whether you’re a theatre-maker, musician, dancer, writer, or visual artist, this is your chance to be part of a festival that amplifies women’s voices in all their forms.
Think your work belongs on our stage? We want to hear from you.
Submit your event or project by clicking 'Apply Now' and join us in making next year’s festival an unforgettable celebration of women’s creativity and power.