With its inaugural outing last year proving a resounding success, Belfast’s Oh Yeah Music Centre has announced the programme for this year’s Women’s Work Festival.
A unique festival for the city celebrating women in music, the purpose of Women’s Work is to raise the visibility of women who are generally in the minority in music, by hosting a range of activities that are open to all genders and include showcases, gigs, special events, panels, talks, and exhibitions.
This year’s programme includes over 50 acts, creatives and DJs across 6 dedicated days, with additional content across the whole month of May. Up to 30 industry speakers, panellists, facilitators and writers will also lead a series of discussions, talks and workshops. Participating venues include Oh Yeah, Start Together Studio, the Black Box, Pavilion and Strand Arts Centre.
Back in March Oh Yeah put out an open call for creative women to participate in a group photo (above), over 80 people took part and the photo now features in the festival brochure, with a framed version to be added to the NI Music Exhibition.
This year’s programme will include the following:
In conversation with Sylvia Patterson, music journalist and author of I’m Not With The Band: A Writer’s Life Lost in Music. A 30 year journey that includes interviews with Prince, Beyoncé, Eminem, Madonna, George Michael, Shaun Ryder and more, making it one of the best rock memoirs of 2016.
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Q&A with mastering engineer Mandy Parnell (The XX, Bjork, Sigur Ros and Brian)
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An evening of live music with Alana Henderson, Roise Carney, Hannah McPhillimy and Larks.
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Exclusive rooftop twilight gig with Katharine Philippa who will be performing new material.
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A main showcase featuring September Girls (Dublin), New Pagans (Belfast), Masha Qrella (Berlin), Beauty Sleep (Belfast), Party Fears (Berlin), Roe (Derry) and more, with special guest DJ Jen Long (Writer, broadcaster, DJ, BBC Radio 1 and BBC 3, Clash, NME, Line Of Best fit, DICE) wrapping things up at the end of the night.
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GIRL collective club night featuring DJs Marion Hawkes, Venus Dupree and rising star Holly Lester. Expect grooving house, broken beats, disco, Italo, house and techno.
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The Amazing Nina Simone – an evening of inspiration celebrating the high priestess of soul with a mix of interpretations and originals from guest artists.
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Girls Rock School NI comes together with GRS Edinburgh and GRS Dublin for workshops, tuition, discussion and performance.
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Screening in association with Touch Sensitive Records of A Life In Waves, exploring the life and innovations of composer and electronic music pioneer, Suzanne Ciani – “the American Delia Derbyshire of The Atari Generation”.
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A weekend of screenings at the Strand Arts Centre including Sonita, Ruby and The Duke and What Happened Miss Simone.
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Go Girl collective, documentary and gig.
Check out the full programme here.
