Alright ladies (and allies), let’s get in formation – the Sydney Opera House is bringing back its annual binary-smashing festival of feminist ideas in March. The House has announced an extraordinary line-up of 24 thought-provoking events featuring more than 40 international and Australian artists, thinkers and storytellers for the twelfth annual All About Women festival.
Joining the line-up is former Australian of the Year and advocate for sexual assault survivors Grace Tame (she/her), former South Australian of the Year and changemaker in Indigenous and women’s leadership Tanya Hosch (she/her), Miles Franklin-winning author Anna Funder (she/her), author of Glossy: Ambition, Beauty, and the Inside Story of Emily Weiss’s Glossier Marisa Meltzer (she/her), sex education campaigner and author of the newly released Consent Laid Bare Chanel Contos (she/her) and many more. They join the previously announced author of worldwide satirical sensation Yellowface, Rebecca F. Kuang (she/her), and world-famous classics scholar, feminist icon (and perhaps the one woman who thinks about the Roman Empire more than any man on TikTok) Mary Beard (she/her).
Three All About Women alumni have assisted with programming, alongside the Sydney Opera House’s Talks & Ideas team led by Chip Rolley (he/him). Those co-curating individual events include the award-winning author and writer of opinion, investigative journalism, non-fiction (and soon-to-be fiction, with April 2024 release The Work) Bri Lee (she/her); author of the recently released I Don’t: The Case Against Marriage and proud Cat Lady, Clementine Ford (she/her); and Gamilaroi and Torres Strait Islander woman, writer/actor and creator of the recent Griffin Theatre sensation Blaque Showgirls (read our four-star review), Nakkiah Lui (she/her).
I’m looking forward to closing out the big day at the Feminist Roast featuring Jane Caro (she/her); Michelle Law (she/her); Zoë Coombs Marr (she/her); Jan Fran (she/her); and (co-curator) Nakkiah Lui, hosted comedy star Steph Tisdell (she/her). You can also colour me intrigued by Why so sad, girl, a panel on contemporary fiction’s obsession with ‘Sad Girl’ novels hosted by Guardian Australia’s opinion editor Bridie Jabour (she/her) (co-curated by Bri Lee); The stories we need now, featuring prominent theatre reviewer Suzy Wrong (she/her) and inter-disciplinary artist and performer Moreblessing Maturure (she/they) on the role of storytelling in sparking social change (co-curated by Nakkiah Lui); Daddy Issues, featuring Osher Günsberg (he/him) and Sean Szeps (he/him) talking parenting today; and some heartfelt musical comedy antics about why marriage won’t save you from Clementine Ford and Libby O’Donovan in Play the girl.
There will also be some ticketed workshops including Making candles with Nonna’s Grocer (yep, Sydney’s own too-pretty-to-light fruit candle providores); Write About Now, a mindful journaling how-to; Taking Action on Gender-Based Violence, a practical guide from the Women’s and Girls’ Emergency Centre; and Femmergy with Groove Therapy, a dance class focused on femininity.
There will also be FREE activities and activations including a brand new pop-up run by Chrissy Flannagan (she/her) of Chaotic Social in the Western Foyers including workshops for Speed Mating; a Book Club on Rebecca F. Kuang’s Yellowface; and Stitch and Complain. Meanwhile, artist Angela Tiatia is exhibiting Narcissus on the Western Boardwalk and in the Concert Hall foyers – the installation is a contemporary reimagining of the ancient Greco-Roman myth of a beautiful young man falling in love with his own image reflected in a pool of water.
Closing the week of International Women’s Day, the 2024 edition of All About Women will take place on Sunday, March 10. (In 2023 the festivities were spread across three days, but we're not mad to see it packed into one day again.) In happy news for the queer feminists out there, it will not fall the day after the Sydney Mardi Gras Parade, as it has in previous years – though there is nothing like rolling up sleep-deprived for a day of talks and ideas, still shaking off last night's glitter. (FYI, Mardi Gras has also revealed a huge future-forward program for 2024.)
All About Women takes over various venues in the Sydney Opera House on Sunday, March 10. Tickets for individual talks and events start at $35, and you can save on multipacks. Insiders and What's On presale is open from 9am on Wednesday, Jan 17, and General Public is on sale from 9am on Thursday, Jan 18. Find out more about the festival program (including livestreams, captioned events and Auslan interpreted events) over here.
