Women's Work Festival

Women's Work Festival A festival of plays-in-progress featuring play readings, workshops, and panels in St. John’s. Promoting work by women & other marginalized genders.

🎭 Backstage Tech Glitch! (But the Call for Submissions is still ON!) ⏳Hey there! Our website host is currently sorting o...
06/22/2026

🎭 Backstage Tech Glitch! (But the Call for Submissions is still ON!) ⏳

Hey there! Our website host is currently sorting out a quick SSL certificate update on their end, which means our main site is temporarily taking a little intermission.

Because we are officially a little bit less than one month away from the submission deadline for our historic 20th Annual Festival, we aren’t letting a little tech hiccup slow us down. We want to read your plays!

If you are trying to submit your work, you don’t need to wait for the website to be back online. You can access our direct submission form through this link:
https://forms.gle/GBxexh2GUnKubNyX9

Questions or just want to chat? If you need any assistance, have questions about the programs, or want to submit something directly, please reach out to Ana Pitol at [email protected], and I will get back to you right away!

Thank you for your patience while our host fixes the tech. We can't wait to read your stories! 🧡

Our star, Wendi Smallwood, will shine elsewhere now. 🌟Rest in peace, our dear friend.Thank you for the inspiration, kind...
06/16/2026

Our star, Wendi Smallwood, will shine elsewhere now. 🌟

Rest in peace, our dear friend.

Thank you for the inspiration, kindness, patience, and unforgettable moments you brought to the stage, to our community, and to the Women's Work Festival.
Your light will continue to shine through everyone whose life you touched.

With every Festival, and in all the years of voices to come, we will remember you.
🧡🎭💙

Two days left to register! Come explore how to define your brand, share your story, and use platforms like social media ...
05/13/2026

Two days left to register! Come explore how to define your brand, share your story, and use platforms like social media to build visibility and connect with your audience.

As part of the Women’s Work Festival Professional Development series, we’re excited to offer this session in partnership with Resilient Foreigner, facilitated by their founder, Didan.

Didan Ashanta Wedderburn is a personal branding strategist and digital marketing professional who helps individuals build visibility and position themselves for opportunities. Her work focuses on using digital platforms and media relations to create strong, recognizable personal brands.

Marketing for Newcomer Artists: How to promote yourself in a new community
DATE: Saturday, May 16th, 2026
TIME: 10 am - 1 pm
LOCATION: A1043, Arts and Administration Building, 230 Elizabeth Ave, MUNL

Admission is by donation.
Register through the link: https://forms.gle/nDM9h5MjXn2dJVMq8
Deadline to register: Friday, May 15th at 12 PM.

This workshop is part of the New Stage Project funded by the Newfoundland and Labrador Settlement and Integration Program. Priority will be given to women and gender diverse newcomers and indigenous but everyone is welcome to apply.

WWF acknowledges the support of the Department of Jobs, Growth and Rural Development.

Trying to figure out how to promote your work in a new landscape? Not sure how to connect with audiences or build your p...
04/29/2026

Trying to figure out how to promote your work in a new landscape? Not sure how to connect with audiences or build your presence as an artist in Newfoundland and Labrador?

As part of the Women’s Work Festival Professional Development series, we’re excited to offer this session in partnership with Resilient Foreigner, facilitated by their founder, Didan.

Didan Ashanta Wedderburn is a personal branding strategist and digital marketing professional who helps individuals build visibility and position themselves for opportunities. Her work focuses on using digital platforms and media relations to create strong, recognizable personal brands.

Marketing for Newcomer Artists: How to promote yourself in a new community
DATE: Saturday, May 16th, 2026
TIME: 10 am - 1 pm
LOCATION: A1043, Arts and Administration Building, 230 Elizabeth Ave, MUNL

This session will walk you through the essentials of marketing your work as a newcomer artist. You’ll explore how to define your brand, share your story, and use platforms like social media to build visibility and connect with your audience.

Admission is by donation.

Register through the link: https://forms.gle/nDM9h5MjXn2dJVMq8
Deadline to register: Friday, May 15th at 12 PM.

This workshop is part of the New Stage Project funded by the Newfoundland and Labrador Settlement and Integration Program. Priority will be given to women and gender diverse newcomers and indigenous but everyone is welcome to apply.

WWF acknowledges the support of the Department of Jobs, Growth and Rural Development.

Submissions for the 21st Annual Women’s Work Festival in March 2027 are now open! We are accepting submissions in two pr...
04/22/2026

Submissions for the 21st Annual Women’s Work Festival in March 2027 are now open!

We are accepting submissions in two programs:

📚Annual Dramaturgical Workshops: Our flagship festival is designed for playwrights with plays that are in the final/advanced stages of development and/or are almost ready for production. The focus is on refining existing drafts through intensive dramaturgical support and audience feedback.

📖The Playwriting Lab: This program is specifically for playwrights with plays in their early stages of development, including those with a complete first draft that still requires significant development. It offers a structured environment for a cohort of playwrights to develop their drafts with the support of a facilitator.

As always, we are committed to promoting work by, for, and about women and people of other marginalized genders, and proudly support intersectional voices.

For more information and how to apply, please visit our website: https://www.womensworkfestival.ca/festival-submissions.html

The deadline for submissions is July 19th, 2026, at 11:59pm NDT.

Need some guidance? Let us know! Email Ana Pitol, WWF Artistic Producer at [email protected].

And finally, to wrap up our highlights from the 20th Annual Women's Work Festival: the closing party and Playwriting Lab...
04/21/2026

And finally, to wrap up our highlights from the 20th Annual Women's Work Festival: the closing party and Playwriting Lab Showcase!

This year’s festival concluded with an evening of comedy by Veronica Dymond and excerpts of play developed during WWF’s Playwriting Lab–This Body Holds the Storm by Blair Curtis, Beholder by Alexis Solaria, Nirvana by Lisah Nsanzugwanko, and Space Cowboy by Kate Clow. And a toast to twenty years, of course!

Congratulations to the playwrights, and huge thank yous to the talented cast: Belle Warner, Joe Chinaka, Olivia Graham-McNabb, Simon Alteen, Rahma Abdi Mohamed Alli, Oluwatoyin Awosanya, and Michelle T Clemens.

🧡🎭💙

Photos by Ashley Harding.

Thanks to this year’s sponsors and partners:
Canadian Heritage - Building Communities Through Art and Heritage and Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Program, Government of Newfoundland - Department of Tourism, Arts, Recreation and Culture and Department of Jobs, Growth and Rural Development, City of St. John's, Music NL, College of North Atlantic, Arts NL, Resource Centre for the Arts & LSPU Hall, Playwrights Guild of Canada - Play Connect, Centra, Playwrights Atlantic Resource Centre, ARC-NL, TODOS Productions, Stephenville Theatre Festival, Modo Yoga, IceberGallery, Anna Templeton Centre, Wonderbolt Productions, St. John’s International Film Festival, White Rooster Theatre, and Persistence Theatre.

Are you an independent artist navigating gig-based income, or part of a growing organization, or simply looking to impro...
04/20/2026

Are you an independent artist navigating gig-based income, or part of a growing organization, or simply looking to improve your financial literacy?

As part of the WWF New Stage Program, we’re excited to offer this exciting opportunity to the community in partnership with RBC:

Balancing Your Finances As A Gig Worker: Budgeting, Investing, and Credit
DATE: Saturday, April 25th, 2026
TIME: 10 am - 1 pm
LOCATION: IIC 2001 Lecture Theatre, Bruneau Centre for Research and Innovation, MUNL, 280 Elizabeth Avenue, St. John’s

This session will cover the basics of budgeting, credit, and investing as a gig worker, helping you manage your money, borrow responsibly, and grow your wealth over time. You will learn practical strategies to take control of your finances, build a strong credit profile, and make smart investment decisions for your future.

Admission fee: $10 (link for payment in the registration form). If admission fee is a problem please email [email protected] and we will be happy to give you a free ticket.

Register through the link: https://forms.gle/tQCxdCij7eG7aN2h7
Deadline to register: Friday, April 24th at 12 PM.

This workshop is part of the New Stage Project funded by the Newfoundland and Labrador Settlement and Integration Program. Priority will be given to women and gender diverse newcomers and indigenous but everyone is welcome to apply.

WWF acknowledges the support of the Department of Jobs, Growth and Rural Development.

Next in highlights from the 20th Annual Women's Work Festival - the village of performers, panelists, hosts, workshop fa...
04/17/2026

Next in highlights from the 20th Annual Women's Work Festival - the village of performers, panelists, hosts, workshop facilitators, vendors, and participants over the course of the week.

On top of the series of annual dramaturgical workshops, each festival includes a host of other events – professional development workshops, casual networking opportunities, and parties! This year’s festival included four coffee chats, four writer’s salons, four panels, three workshops, and five special events: an opening party featuring Kelly and the Tall Cans, a One-on-One mentorship session, the 2nd Annual Women’s Work Fair, an open mic, and the International Women’s Day Performance Walk, featuring Natasha Blackwood, Nicole Haldoupis, Robyn Breen, Thiviya Kana, and Zaynab Wilson.

Enormous thank yous to everyone who brought their talents, expertise, and joy to the festival this year - we couldn’t do it without you!

🧡🎭💙

Photos by Ashley Harding.

Thanks to this year’s sponsors and partners:
Canadian Heritage - Building Communities Through Art and Heritage and Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Program, Government of Newfoundland - Department of Tourism, Arts, Recreation and Culture and Department of Jobs, Growth and Rural Development, City of St. John's, Music NL, College of North Atlantic, Arts NL, Resource Centre for the Arts & LSPU Hall, Playwrights Guild of Canada - Play Connect, Centra, Playwrights Atlantic Resource Centre, ARC-NL, TODOS Productions, Stephenville Theatre Festival, Modo Yoga, IceberGallery, Anna Templeton Centre, Wonderbolt Productions, St. John’s International Film Festival, White Rooster Theatre, and Persistence Theatre.

Two days left to register! Come learn the basics of starting a business as an artist, including business structures, reg...
04/16/2026

Two days left to register!

Come learn the basics of starting a business as an artist, including business structures, registration, and key legal requirements.

Entrepreneurship Foundations for Artsist: From Idea to Business Setup.
DATE: Saturday, April 18th
TIME: 10 am - 1 pm
LOCATION: Center of Social Enterprise (BN-4015), Faculty of Business Administration, Morrissey Road, Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Admission is by donation.
Register through the link: https://forms.gle/n1CXvB2VYtQKS3op8
Deadline to register: Friday, April 17th at 12 PM.

This workshop is in partnership with Expertise Hub Co-Operative and Collective Interchange and is part of the New Stage Project funded by the Newfoundland and Labrador Settlement and Integration Program.

Priority will be given to women and gender diverse newcomers and indigenous but everyone is welcome to apply.

WWF acknowledges the support of the Department of Jobs, Growth and Rural Development.

Next in highlights from the 20th Annual Women's Work Festival: our first-ever design workshop, Beauty Behind the Norms! ...
04/14/2026

Next in highlights from the 20th Annual Women's Work Festival: our first-ever design workshop, Beauty Behind the Norms!

Written by Nicole Obiodiaka with dramaturgy by Santiago Guzmán, Beauty Behind the Norms is an evocative drama set in West Africa vividly portraying the clash between traditional cultural norms and the burgeoning desire for change.

The Design Workshop program was designed to offer to a playwright the opportunity to explore and develop the design elements of their play, while also serving as a training program for emerging designers by pairing them with mentors from January 2026 to March 2026.

Congratulations to Nicole and Santiago; design mentees Yusi Cai, Joy Abraham, Julie Mwendanga, and Marci Onsinyo; design mentors Alison Crosby, Raha Javanfar, Brenda Duran, Arianna Moodie, and Elena Stoodley; project coordinator Oluwatoyin Awosanya; stage manager Kelly Lewis; and amazing cast Rachel Gilbert, Jephthah Anga, Jamal Weekes, Jessica Quaw, Joseph Chinaka, Lisah Nsanzugwanko, Angel Nene, Rahma Mohamed Alli, and Laetisha Ekpiken.

🧡🎭💙

Photos by Ashley Harding.

Thanks to this year’s sponsors and partners:
Canadian Heritage - Building Communities Through Art and Heritage and Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Program, Government of Newfoundland - Department of Tourism, Arts, Recreation and Culture and Department of Jobs, Growth and Rural Development, City of St. John's, Music NL, College of North Atlantic, Arts NL, Resource Centre for the Arts & LSPU Hall, Playwrights Guild of Canada - Play Connect, Centra, Playwrights Atlantic Resource Centre, ARC-NL, TODOS Productions, Stephenville Theatre Festival, Modo Yoga, IceberGallery, Anna Templeton Centre, Wonderbolt Productions, St. John’s International Film Festival, White Rooster Theatre, and Persistence Theatre.

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