International Women's Day 2017: Celebrations, talks and events in London
Though its origins are a little hazy, International Women’s Day is thought to turn 106 this year. It’s upsetting to realise a century has passed without the original aim of gender equality still being realised, but it’s all the more reason to make a great hullabaloo this year.
Happily, London seems to be throwing its weight behind the cause, and there’s support everywhere from theatres to restaurants, from small sweaty clubs to the great halls of the city’s museums.
An incomplete but thorough list of what’s on can be found here, and we've picked our highlights below.
Perhaps the biggest of everything that’s on is the Southbank’s Women of the World festival, running until March 12. Originally launched in 2011, the festival already has a substantial following and this year champions women everywhere with a line-up including Gillian Anderson, Jennifer Nadel, Sandi Toksvig, Angela Davis, Catherine Mayer and Harriet Harman. No surprise that hot topics this year include Trump and Brexit, but there’ll be discussions on everything from sexual assault to migration to prostitution. Visit their site for full details.
Another event to pen in the diary is the Million Women Rise rally, on March 11. Meeting outside Selfridges on Oxford Street, it will head down to Trafalgar Square, campaigning to end male violence against women and girls. This year marks the march’s 10th year.
Music
Concerts seem to be the medium of choice this year, with absolutely heaps happening around the capital. Have a riotous old time this weekend at the Four Quarters in Peckham, where on March 11 there’ll be Typical Girls, a night of DJs, live bands, comedy, belly dancing with a political bent (really) and spoken word too. It’ll all be performed by women and non-binary artists. Nearby, in the CLF Art Cafe in the Bussey Building Jossy Mitsu, Diaspora, Natalie Sandi and DJ Baby Flame come together for None Of Your Business.
More feminist punk is on the agenda at Dance Like I’ve Got Diamonds presents International Women's Day on March 8, where The Tuts, Peach Club and Dolls are all on the bill, alongside a talk from Girls Against. If you can’t make that, or want even more riot grrrl vibes, head to The Fiddler’s Elbow in Camden, where The Potentials, The Menstrual Cramps, Charmpit and The Baby Seals are all the bill, pumping out songs like “My Labia’s Lopsided, but I Don’t Mind”. Don’t go for subtly, but expect them all to be turning the amps up and bringing the house down.
It’s not all thrashed guitars. Over at Tooting Tram and Social, again on March 8, the aptly titled Safe Gigs for Women on International Women's Day presents DJs Lipgloss Jill from Star Shaped Club and Strange Days, and a live music line-up including the melodic pop of Miri, folk-pop from Guise, acoustic wizardry from Misty Miller and something altogether different from MISHKIN, of Birdeatsbaby.
More folky goodness comes to St John’s Church Bethnal Green on March 10, as top collective Coven perform for IWD. BBC 6 endorsed O'Hooley & Tidow complete a line-up that includes BBC Radio 2 Folk Award Finalists Lady Maisery and the much-loved Grace Petrie.
The Royal College of Music are doing something entirely different with their March 8 concerts, as one might expect. They’ll be celebrating Women In Music, starting with a Piano Masterclass from Sofya Gulyak, at 10am, followed by the UK premiere of a lost Fanny Mendelssohn piano work, which will be broadcast live on BBC Radio 3. In the evening, female musicians will play a variety of works by women composers.
Film
Talkies Community Cinema will be hosting a screening of 2015 drama Suffragette on March 8 at the Fox in N13. The acclaimed period piece tells the story of foot-soldiers in the early days of feminism, and stars Carey Mulligan, Helena Bonham Carter and Meryl Streep.
At the Swiss Cottage Odeon, there’ll be a one-off screening of last year’s Embrace, an award-winning documentary about body image.
Stanley’s film club on Norwood Hill is showing Queen of Katwe, which follows the story of a Ugandian girl rising to prominence as a star in the male-dominated world of chess. Oscar winning actress Lupita Nyong'o takes the lead.
For something more esoteric, head to the Calder Bookshop and Theatre in Southwark, where there’ll be a screening of 1926 Soviet drama Mother. It's followed by a talk from a ‘Marxist scholar’. You’ve been warned.
On March 11, the Hackney Attic above the Picturehouse will screen Century: 10 Women x 10 Decades, a funny, sweet and often moving documentary which charts 10 different London women from 10 different decades, including Paralympic athlete Susie Rogers and race-relations pioneer Dame Jocelyn Barrow, as well as a young woman evicted from her home. Afterwards, there’ll be a panel discussion with the film’s makers.
Talks
These are the events that’ll really get to the heart of what’s on. As mentioned above, the Southbank’s Women of the World festival is hosting some of the best, most thought-provoking conversations: Gillian Anderson and Jennifer Nadel talking their new book, WE: A Manifesto for Women Everywhere on March 10 is not to be missed. The next day, African-American activist Angela Davis will sit down with Southbank Centre’s Artistic Director, Jude Kelly CBE, talking women, race and class in a world where Trump is President. It’s guaranteed to be compelling.
The Standard’s very own Amira Hashish will be over in Seven Dials hosting ‘In Conversation With’ on March 8, which champions successful women from the worlds of fashion, food, journalism and dance. Guest speakers include Google’s Sarah Drinkwater, ES Magazine features director Alice-Azania Jarvis and Caroline Rush CBE, the chief executive of the British Fashion Council. You can watch a Facebook Live stream of the event here.
On March 10, head to the Frontline Club for “The Power of an Image: The representation of women in conflict zones”, where Hannah Starkey and Financial Times photo editor Emma Bowkett will discuss the impact of photography, and the way in contributes to or breaks down long-standing prejudices.
But there’s more...
Pictures say a thousand words, apparently, and the Tate Britain will be giving tours pointing out women in art through the day on Wednesday.
If you’re more in the mood for theatre, head to the Ovalhouse where from March 8– 10 Danyah Miller’s exploration of womanhood and family, Perfectly Imperfect Women, is being staged.
#SHECAN is a big one this year, an inspirational display of women’s achievements and a celebration of peace. The March 8 event offers a line-up unrivaled for its eclecticism: you’ll see everything from beatboxer Kimmy Beatbox to girl band Trills to playwright Bethan McEvoy to dance group D4.
JuJu's Bar and Stage is serving up plenty of light-hearted relief on March 11, with a free burlesque class in honour of IWD, courtesy of Sapphira's Showgirls. There’ll also be live poetry, but probably you’ll have the most fun joining in with their attempt to break the world record for the most “Most Balloons Popped on a Burlesque Costume”. Serious stuff.
There's more fun to be had at 100 Wardour St. They're hosting a one-off night of burlesque with a three-course meal, champagne and plenty of dancing, promising a memorable Wednesday night – be sure to book a table.
Over in Soho, founder of Balls & Company Bonny Porter is laying on a five-course, £50-a-head dinner prepared on March 8. The meal will use the best of London’s female culinary talent, with Porter being lent a hand from pickle maker Freddie Janssen; Margot Henderson, co-founder of Clerkenwell’s Rochelle Canteen; Emily Dobbs, founder of Sri Lankan pop-up Weligama; Gail’s bakery development chef Roz Bado; Tania Steytler, head chef at Snaps + Rye; Bubbledogs co-founder Sandia Chang and former Ottolenghi chef Olia Hercules.
If you're more just in the mood for a drink, head to Blanchette, either in Soho or Brick Lane, who are laying on special cocktails, with profits going to Women's Aid.
Finally, you've got until March 15 to swing by the newly launched 'Women's Space' in Carlos Place, a two-storey pop-up work and events space launched by the Mayfair Collective, in partnership with Mount Street retailers, which both champions and facilitates women of achievement. Among those speaking will be Jo Malone, June Sarpong, hotelier Lydia Forte and model Leomie Anderson.
