The first idea
In November 2003, a chance remark between two friends talking about International Women’s Day developed into an idea which, much to their surprise, became the Monmouth Women’s Festival. First of all, they thought about inviting one well-known woman to the town to talk about issues of women’s position in society. But then they began to think bigger, and involved their book group in drawing together a committee. They set out to celebrate women’s creativity and achievements, and to draw attention to the inequalities which still persist around the world. The ideas flowed.
The first milestone was Glenys Kinnock’s acceptance of an invitation... and within three months, a programme was devised, venues booked and speakers arranged. With a tiny budget, and a lot of hard work, the first Monmouth Women’s Festival was born, and took place in March 2004.
Building on success
The pleasure with which the Festival was greeted spurred the committee on, and with a whole year to plan, they decided to embark on a second Festival.  This time, it was the generosity of Baroness Shirley Williams and Dame Margaret Anstee (first woman to reach the rank of Deputy Director General of the United Nations) in agreeing to come which raised the committee’s spirits still further.
Since then, we’ve gone from strength to strength, and as we enter our sixth year, the Festival has become part of Monmouth’s annual calendar. |
It is still run by a group of volunteers, supported by MWF’s Friends, but we are lucky enough to have received grants from a variety of bodies which have allowed us to continue to run the Festival.
We mix lighter events – music, fashion, humour – with history and literature. We arrange thought-provoking talks from figures more used to a national or international stage, and who we’d rarely see in Monmouth without the Festival to draw them here. We go on raising difficult questions as well as celebrating the positive.
An impressive roll-call
 Speakers we’ve enjoyed at previous Festivals have included Baroness Julia Neuberger, Professor of Islamic Studies Mona Siddiqui, commentator Polly Toynbee, politicians Baroness Shirley Williams, Anne Widdecombe MP, Ann Clwyd MP, and woman-behind-the-man, Lady Edna Healey. Poets and writers have included poet Gillian Clarke (National Poet of Wales), Bel Mooney, Julia Gregson, Francesca Kay, CJ Emerson, Angela Old and the Welsh women of Honno Press. We’ve had historians Deirdre Beddoe and Juliet Gardiner, comedian Helen Lederer , musicians Women in Jazz and broadcasters Sarah Dickins and Jonathan Dimbleby... and many more! Each year, Monmouth Museum has put on a fascinating exhibition about an aspect of local women’s history, and we’ve also enjoyed regular showcases for the region’s artists and craftswomen.
Back to top |
