Factory International

WOW Manchester - Weekend Ticket

This event has ended
A group of people dancing and clapping
Date
25 - 26 May 2024
Venue
South Warehouse, Hall & Hall Foyers, Aviva Studios
Tickets
Standard: £25
Affordable £12.50

To book access tickets please call 0161 817 4531 (Monday to Saturday, 10am to 6pm) or email access@factoryinternational.org

This event has ended

Under 16s must be accompanied by an adult aged over 18. WOW events will cover a variety of topics, some of which may contain sensitive/adult themes. Parent/guardian discretion advised for children under 14.
Running time: Weekend pass events run 11am to 5pm, Sat & Sun

Accessibility features available for this event: Wheelchair Access

WOW – Women of the World arrives in Manchester. Book your Weekend ticket for the ultimate WOW experience.

Fresh from WOW Festivals in Pakistan, Istanbul, Rotherham and Athens, WOW – Women of the World lands in the North West for the first time. Come together with inspirational activists, speakers and the people of Greater Manchester to explore the most talked about issues today. Grab a Weekend ticket for two days of joy, urgent conversations and interactive workshops.

WOW founder and celebrated theatre director Jude Kelly CBE opens the Festival with a powerful Moment of Unity – repeated at intervals throughout the weekend. For more conversations, join WOW Big Ideas where well-known faces meet local activists to put the world to rights. 

Visit our Conversation Stations on a huge range of topics from menopause myths to football, and reproductive justice to being a basic witch! Speakers include Australia’s first woman Prime Minister Julia Gillard, actors Maxine Peake and Zawe Ashton, Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, Manchester legend DJ Paulette and author Chimene Suleyman.

The beating heart of the Festival is the bustling Marketplace – a hub of urgency, generosity and conversation with over 50 pop-ups to explore. Get stuck in with a range of workshops led by Greater Manchester’s rich and diverse talent. Learn how to DJ, develop new textile skills, dance, draw, garden and find (or nurture) your inner activist.

Meet artists from across the globe in our specially-curated South Asian Showcase in partnership with the British Council. Come, share a chai and be WOWed by beautiful textiles, artworks, photography and film from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Turkey.

You can also pop by the Social for a range of free events – featuring WOW pop-ups, poetry, workshops and artwork. Listen in to WOW Bites or learn how to make dyes from natural ingredients. There’s plenty to stumble upon.

WOW Manchester welcomes people of all ages and genders. Whether you’re a seasoned activist or dipping your toes into ideas about gender equity for the first time, WOW Manchester is for you.

Ticket information

You need a ticket to access the main WOW Manchester day programme. This includes access to the South Warehouse bustling marketplace, where you’ll find a whole host of different creative workshops, conversation stations, talks, performances and work from artists across the globe. 

Day tickets are available for Saturday and Sunday. Each day features a different line-up so take your pick, or bag a Weekend Ticket and come along to both.

Bringing the next gen along with you? Kids under 12 can attend for free across the weekend.

Saturday line-up

These events are included in your Weekend ticket. Keep an eye out for more events coming soon!

Julia Gillard smiling in front of a bookshelf

“I will not be lectured about misogyny by this man” – In conversation with Julia Gillard

When? 11.30am–12.15pm

Where? Conversation Station, South Warehouse

What? Join WOW Founder Jude Kelly and former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard as they open Saturday at WOW Manchester. 

What is the world like for women, girls and non-binary people today? And how will it change in future? Welcome in WOW Manchester with a conversation filled with optimism and hope. 

DJ Paulette wearing big hoop earrings on a bright blue background

HERcienda: Women, music and Manchester

When? 1–1.45pm

Where? Conversation Station, South Warehouse

What? In the rich tapestry of Manchester, music venues – many now lost to gentrification – bind together so much of the city’s iconic past. But there was always a demographic missing: women. 

Join the Hacienda’s only woman DJ and Manchester legend DJ Paulette for a conversation on the absence of women in these spaces, how buildings shape our cultural landscapes and how we can build inclusive spaces that embody local histories, people and surroundings whilst honouring the shape of their futures.

Headshot of Chimene Suleyman on a black background

The Chain: Sisterhood, Sex and Storytelling 

When? 4–4.45pm

Where? Conversation Station, South Warehouse

What? What happens when the person you love is not who you thought? Join us as we explore how relationships can quickly turn sour and why society allows persistent misogyny to thrive in this candid, funny and inspiring conversation with The Chain author, Chimene Suleyman. We'll reflect on the power of finding oneself  and community amidst the wreckage of a tumultuous relationship and celebrate the journey of healing, self-discovery, and the strength found in sisterhood. Interviewer to be announced.

Advice on content: This talk discusses coercive control.

Tania Kovats stood besides some water holding a paper that says 'Dirty Water'

Artistic Installations

When? 11am–5pm

Where? The Marketplace, South Warehouse

What? Artists Ina-Maria Shikongo and Tania Kovats will join us across the weekend to exhibit specially commissioned work.

A person painting multicoloured dots

Total Block out!

When? 11am–5pm

Where? The Marketplace, South Warehouse

What? Join local non profit CDM for a full day of drop-in block printing. Whether you want to give new life to a t-shirt or a tote or just want to have a go at something creative, this session is for you! Instructions and materials provided - and feel free to bring anything else you would like to print onto.

Sunday line-up

These events are included in your Weekend ticket.

A headshot of the actor Maxine Peake wearing a white shirt

Maxine Peake in conversation

When? 11–11.30am

Where? Podium, South Warehouse

What? Join Maxine Peake and WOW Founder Jude Kelly for a Sunday morning discussion on Manchester, the arts and what the future looks like for creative industries.


Tania Kovats stood besides some water holding a paper that says 'Dirty Water'

Artistic Installations

When? 11am–5pm

Where? The Marketplace, South Warehouse

What? Artists Ina-Maria Shikongo and Tania Kovats will join us across the weekend to exhibit specially commissioned work.


CDM UK delivering a screenprinting workshop in The Welcome

Total Block out!

When? 11am–5pm

Where? The Marketplace, South Warehouse

What? Join local non profit CDM for a full day of drop-in block printing. Whether you want to give new life to a t-shirt or a tote or just want to have a go at something creative, this session is for you! Instructions and materials provided - and feel free to bring anything else you would like to print onto.

A messy table of crafts

Menstrual Mood Mapping

When? 3.45–4.45pm

Where? Workshop Zone, South Warehouse

What? What a bloody mess! Menstrual Mood Mapping is a calming, playful and creative workshop exploring the different phases and moods of menstrual cycles. Learn how to use collage techniques to chart hormone highs and lows, challenge myths and misogyny, and delve into the depiction of periods in popular culture. 

This workshop is for anyone who wants to connect to the menstrual cycle, regardless of whether you have experienced menstruation. 

  • Collage of speakers at WOW festival with 'WOW - Women of the World Manchester' logo in the middle

    Evening events

    WOW Manchester 2024 also includes an exciting programme of evening events that you can purchase tickets for separately and several free events taking place in the Social – keep your eyes peeled for more info coming soon! 

    Please note that some workshops may have additional charges and/or require a separate booking procedure.

    Explore the programme

Credits

WOW Manchester commissioned and produced by Factory International and The WOW Foundation.

WOW Festival was originally produced and presented by Southbank Centre.

Access information

Our full address is Aviva Studios, Water Street, Manchester M3 4JQ and the what3words is chop.feeds.chase.

You can approach Aviva Studios along Water Street (coming from Quay Street) or along Liverpool Road (coming from Deansgate or Castlefield). Both entrances to the building have double sets of glass doors.

Once inside Aviva Studios, there is step-free access to all areas of the venue. The flooring throughout the building is smooth concrete.

The entrance to the Hall is by lift, escalator or stairs from one side of the Social beside the brick arches. There is only one escalator, and this will take you up to the Hall before the show, and will be reversed so that you can travel down at the end of the performance.

The Social has a range of seating, including those with arms and backs.

The bars in the Social and Hall Foyer have lowered accessible service points.

Our building is large. We have portable stools available to borrow if you would benefit from resting along the way during your visit.

We have wheelchair spaces and seats at standing events for all events.

There is step-free access to all areas of the venue, with lift access to the Warehouse from the Social, and lift and escalator access to the Hall from the Social. The escalator leading to the Hall foyers usually works in the direction of audience flow, so it will take you up before the performance, and the same escalator will bring you down at the interval or at the end of the show.

There are accessible toilets on all public levels of our building.

Accessible toilets are located inside the main toilets space in the brick arches of the Social.

Here you’ll find a mixture of accessible cubicles with left- or right-hand transfer, towards the back of the space, as well as ambulant accessible cubicles with grab rails, as well as a Changing Places facility.

The toilets in the brick arches of the Social are split into male, female and gender neutral – all of which contain accessible cubicles. There are shared handwashing facilities in each arch – they have soap dispensers under the mirrors to your left and dryers to the right. There are separate handwashing facilities inside the accessible cubicles.

There are additional single-room accessible toilets located in both Hall Foyers, at stalls and circle level.

There are additional single-room accessible toilets located in the Warehouse Foyer.

You do not need a key to use the accessible toilets at Aviva Studios.

Assistance dogs are welcome in our building, and we can provide mats and water bowls on request, just ask a host when you arrive. We can also take care of your assistance dog if you do not want to take your dog into the performance space. Please also refer to our assistance dogs policy.

If you are bringing an assistance dog to a ticketed event, please let us know in advance by contacting access@factoryinternational.org or calling our access phone number: 0161 817 4531 (phone lines are open 10am to 6pm, Monday to Saturday).

Travel information

Aviva Studios can be approached along Water Street (coming from Quay Street) or along Liverpool Road (coming from Deansgate or Castlefield).

Our closest stations are:

Salford Central station: 0.4 miles

Deansgate station and Deansgate-Castlefield tram: 0.6 miles

St Peter’s Square tram: 0.6 miles

Manchester Victoria station is approximately one mile from Aviva Studios

Manchester Piccadilly station is approximately 1.3 miles from Aviva Studios

Click on the links above to find detailed access information for each station.

By Bike

There are 40 bike parking spaces at Aviva Studios including space for two accessible bikes.

National Cycling Route 6 passes close to the venue and this TfGM webpage can help with route planning.

You can also hire bikes from on-street docking stations across the city centre. The closest docking stations to our venue are currently on Deansgate by Liverpool Road and (400m from the building) and by King Street (500m from the building). Take a look at Transport for Greater Manchester’s webpage for advice on cycle hire.

By Walking and Other Active Means

Aviva Studios can be approached along Water Street via Liverpool Road (coming from Deansgate or Castlefield).

If you're coming from Quay Street, the safest route to avoid construction works is via the cut-through opposite Gartside Street and past Booking.com.

All footways in the surrounding area are well lit and there are appropriate crossings across all main roads.

Pedestrians with visual impairment are recommended to approach the building via Water Street, from Liverpool Road. This route has traditional carriageway and footway design with fixed street furniture which should help with navigation to the entrance.

A footbridge at Left Bank in Spinningfields provides an accessible link across the River Irwell to Salford Central station, and a further footbridge also links Aviva Studios with the Salford area of Middlewood Locks.

Free bus services stop at all city-centre stations, and near to Aviva Studios along Deansgate, Bridge St and Quay St. Buses on these free routes are wheelchair accessible. For full details of the free bus routes, please visit the TfGM website.

There is a car park approximately 0.6 miles from Aviva Studios at Water Street Car Park, New Elm Rd, Manchester, M3 4JH.

There is also a NCP car park (Manchester Spinningfields) approximately 0.5 miles away from Aviva Studios at Spinningfields, New Quay Street, Manchester, M3 3BE. It has 35 accessible bays.

There are a small number of Blue Badge spaces along Water St and Quay St. Otherwise head towards Liverpool Road, Great John St and Lower Byrom St – close to our neighbours, the Science and Industry Museum where there are a small number of additional Blue Badge spaces.

For a list of other parking bays available in the area, visit Manchester City Council website.

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