The Women’s Weekender
An arts festival that celebrates the community of Black and Global Majority Women across the globe together.
This festival unites black and global majority women worldwide to celebrate their culture, creativity and achievements through music, dance, art, poetry and discussions.
A festival for women of the global majority, co-curated by Aamta-Tul Waheed, Shabina Aslam and Rommi Smith together, the theme of the festival is to create a safe space, decentre the gaze, intersectional networking, connecting, colour, art, and music!
This festival was in collaboration with Theatre in the Mill from the 18th to the 21st of May, 2023.
Meet the co-curators
Dr Rommi Smith
Co-curator
Rommi Smith is a multi-award-winning poet, playwright, theatre-maker, performer, librettist and scholar.
Shabina Aslam
Co-curator
Shabina Aslam is an artist, senior producer at Theatre in the Mill and all-round barrier breaker.
Aamta–Tul Waheed
Co-curator & Project Manager
Aamta Waheed is a Bradford based visual artists, producer, change-maker and activist.
Photography and Film by:
Kimia and Keyhan Moderessi
Day 1.
The first day of The Women's Weekender was packed with powerful and inspiring performances. The two one-woman shows, Jane Steele's 'Wonderous' and Nafeesa Hamid's 'MY NEWS', left the audience in awe. Jane Steele's performance was mesmerizing; she embodied her character with grace and ease, and her use of music and technology added to the captivating atmosphere.
Nafeesa Hamid's 'MY NEWS' was a thought-provoking and emotionally charged performance. Her ability to seamlessly move from one topic to another kept the audience engaged throughout the show. Overall, the first day of The Women's Weekender was a tremendous success and set the bar high for the rest of the weekend.
Day 3.
The last kicked off with a Sunday prayer for our Christian audiences, and then moved onto creative screen printing with Aicha Bhaji followed up with two diverse chiors The Mussanzi Family Chior who sang in french, English and Congolese and also Song-geet who are the UK’s first South Asian choir!
The afternoon was capped off with a visioning session for Bradford 2025.
Day 2.
The second day of The Women's Weekender was jam-packed with various exciting activities. Attendees were treated to a VR showing of 'AMMA' by Tara Arts, which enabled them to experience a powerful and emotional story about motherhood and family. The holographic showing of 'Salt Eaters' by Mez Galaria was equally captivating, offering a unique and thought-provoking viewing experience.
For those interested in arts and crafts, Sandra Whyles offered a wonderful opportunity to explore their creativity. The audio curation by shi Blank rounded out the day's events perfectly, providing a beautiful and curated soundscape to accompany all the exciting activities.
The day was capped off with a celebratory dinner, showcasing and celebrating women of colour through poetry, music, and delicious food. Overall, it was an incredible day filled with inspiration, creativity, and celebration.
Animation created by Animator in Residence
Hafsa Jawed Khan