International Women’s Day is all about shining a light on women’s achievements, raising awareness about women’s equality and working to create a gender-equal world.
This year’s theme is #EmbraceEquity – ensuring everyone is treated fairly and equally; that everyone can access what they need to be successful, no matter their circumstances.
To mark this important cultural event, we’re featuring five inspiring women (or women-led initiatives) from the creative industries, that embody this year’s theme.
Sharena Lee Satti
A highly talented spoken-word poet from Bradford in the UK, Sharena Lee Satti draws inspiration from her own life experiences, cultural identity, struggles and upbringing to help others bring about change in their lives. Sharena has received several accolades, including being announced as a ‘ChangeMaker’ by The Leap (a creative people and places program focusing on community-led culture). Listen to Sharena’s #IWD2023 poem.
Jemma Rodgers
Jemma Rodgers is an award-winning film and TV producer of drama and comedy programmes. She founded the production company Junction Films and, in 2022, produced The Railway Children Return. She’s also worked on landmark projects like The League of Gentlemen, Double Take and Murphy’s Law. Read about Jemma’s journey as a creative entrepreneur and how she’s helping to embrace equity.
Caroline Criado Perez
Award-winning campaigner and bestselling author Caroline Criado Perez reached #1 in the Sunday Times for her book Invisible Women: Exposing Data Bias in a World Designed for Men. It shows how, in a world mostly built for men, half the population is being systematically ignored. From government policy to technology through to workplaces and media, Invisible Women makes the case for change. Learn more about Caroline’s powerful work.
GIRLSofGRIME
Founded by Shakira Walters, GIRLSofGRIME is a platform dedicated to helping women artists rise in the music industry. For #IWD2023, Shakira spearheaded a major collaboration with five amazing female artists to create a scorching new track called Crop Tops & Hoodies. The record highlights some of the hurdles women working in music face, such as the fact that only 3% of tunes played on radio are produced by women. Here’s the official release.
MashUp Contemporary Dance Company
MashUp is an LA-based dance group that uses contemporary dance as an art form to break down gender barriers. MashUp uplifts female-identifying artists to provide more ways for women in dance to be seen and heard, regardless of their culture, ethnicity or background. The company is hosting a special dance festival for #IWD2023 – read about it here.
One of the International Women’s Day missions is to celebrate women creatives and boost their visibility. Head over to the official website to discover other incredible women in the creative industries that are helping to forge change for gender equality.
Before you go, check out these women-led initiatives making waves in NFTs and crypto, which we highlighted for International Women’s Day 2022. Want an update when we publish future articles about cultural events? Join our newsletter below.