Celebrate International Women’s Day at the Festival Theatre

To mark this year’s International Women’s Day, the Festival Theatre announces it is hosting of a day of talks and performances from a group of prominent women working in Scotland.

Speakers will include Traverse Theatre Artistic Director Orla O’Loughlin; Lothian List candidate for The Women’s Equality Party, Lee Chalmers; Curator of the Modern Scottish Women exhibition at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Alice Strang; Artistic Director of Stellar Quines Jemima Levick and co-founder and Chair of Women In Tourism, Susan Russell.

Details of the 3 sessions held over the day are as follows:

Session 1: 12-1.30pm

  • Performance from Festival Theatre Vintage Chorus
  • Orla O’Loughlin, will discuss her role as the Artistic Director of the Traverse Theatre and the wider landscape of women in theatre.
  • Alice Strang, Curator of the Modern Scottish Women exhibition at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, examines the experiences of the unprecedented number of Scottish women who trained and practised as artists between 1885 and 1965.

Session 2: 2.30-4pm

  • Readings by Elspeth Murray and Jennifer Williams from the Scottish Poetry Library.
  • Jemima Levick, New Director of Stella Quines Theatre Company, discusses her experiences of working in theatre.
  • Susan Russell, Marketing Manager for Festivals Edinburgh, who has recently launched and chairs Women in Tourism offers a perspective on cultural and tourism elements in addition to the arts.

Session 3: 5-6.30pm

  • The Megaphone Choir
  • Lee Chalmers, talks about being a candidate for the first UK party to put gender equality at the top of the agenda: The Women’s Equality Party

The sessions take place on Tuesday 8 March and are free but ticketed. You can book online at http://www.edtheatres.com/internationalwomensday or call the box office on 0131 529 6000.