EMPOWER: Women Changing Music

Demi Sheridan, Editorial Assistant
L-R: Ellie Slorach, Jenni Watson, Carmel Smickersgill, Sam McShane, Sinead Walsh, Hannah Seymour
EMPOWER: Women Changing Music

EMPOWER: Women Changing Music at International Anthony Burgess Foundation (IABF), Manchester 8 March 2025 Tickets from £5.00 — Book now

Returning to Manchester in celebration of International Women’s Day, EMPOWER: Women Changing Music is an inspiring evening of live performances and thought-provoking conversation, dedicated to championing gender equality in the music industry.

Nomad: music that moves
EMPOWER: Women Changing Music

Taking place at the International Anthony Burgess Foundation, this event shines a spotlight on female composers and musicians, challenging the historically male-dominated canon and creating space for positive change. Featuring a dynamic programme of short performances by chamber ensembles, alongside the highly anticipated UK premiere of the inaugural OpusHER commission, the evening celebrates the transformative impact women are having on the musical landscape, both creatively and professionally.

Complementing the performances, a panel of industry-leading women—including violinist Emily Davis, composer Florence Anna Maunders, Cellist Peggy Nolan and Rachael Williams, Chief Executive of Streetwise Opera—will take part in a lively discussion exploring the evolving role of women in music. The event will be hosted by Sinéad Walsh and Hannah Seymour, fostering an environment of collaboration, inspiration, and progress.

Panel Discussion
EMPOWER: Women Changing Music

Launched as a pilot in 2022, EMPOWER is now expanding its reach, with Manchester serving as a key stop in a series of events also taking place in London and Dublin. Whether you’re a music lover, an advocate for equality, or simply looking for an enriching cultural experience, this is an event not to be missed.

EMPOWER: Women Changing Music at International Anthony Burgess Foundation (IABF), Manchester 8 March 2025 Tickets from £5.00 Book now

Poet Imtiaz Dharker. Photo by Ayesha Dharker
LiteratureManchester
Poets & Players at Burgess Foundation

Poets & Players is a must-go for lovers of words and music, presenting poets established and emerging, with the latest readers Imtiaz Dharker, Ella Frears and Martin Zarrop.

free entry

Where to go near EMPOWER: Women Changing Music

Manchester
Café or Coffee Shop
Burgess Cafe Bar
at IABF

Small but perfectly-formed café – which also serves as the in-house bookstore, stocking all manner of Burgess-related works, along with recordings of his music. It’s a welcoming space, with huge glass windows making for a bright, welcoming atmosphere.

Dog Bowl bowling alley and restaurant Manchester.
Manchester
Bar or Pub
Dog Bowl

A bar and 10-pin bowling alley combined, Dog Bowl is a neon-lit venue that serves up cocktails and Tex-Mex food to go with your time on the lanes.

The Ritz Manchester live music venue
Manchester
Music venue
The Ritz

The Ritz was originally a dance hall, built in 1928, has hosted The Beatles, Frank Sinatra and The Smiths and is still going strong as a gig venue now.

Gorilla, Whitworth street Manchester
Manchester
Bar or Pub
Gorilla

Gorilla is a good choice for breakfast, lunch or dinner. From a hearty full English to meaty burgers via good vegan and veggie options. It also hosts some of the best gigs and events in Manchester.

HOME Manchester
Manchester
Theatre
HOME Manchester

Offering a packed schedule of events and things to do, HOME Manchester is one of the city’s leading hubs for arts and culture.

Manchester
Restaurant
Indian Tiffin Room, Manchester

Indian Tiffin Room is a restaurant specialising in Indian street food, with branches in Cheadle and Manchester. This is the information for the Manchester venue.

The Modernist shop
Manchester
Shop
Modernist Society

The bricks and mortar The Modernist shop opened in May 2019 in the Northern Quarter and is the only bookshop in Manchester specialising in architecture and design.

Rain Bar pub in Manchester
City Centre
Bar or Pub
Rain Bar

This huge three-floor pub, formerly a Victorian warehouse, then an umbrella factory (hence the name), has one of the city centre’s largest beer gardens. The two-tier terrace overlooks the Rochdale canal and what used to be the back of the Hacienda, providing an unusual, historic view of the city.

What's on: Music

A black woman sat down looking to the left.
Until
MusicLeeds
Sound Out Leeds 2024/25

Leeds International Concert Season is on a mission to push boundaries, expand horizons, and ask the question: ‘What haven’t we heard?’ as it presents its city-spanning Sound Out Leeds series.

from £10.00
Two dancers and orchestra on stage
Until
DanceManchester
Dance:Music at the RNCM

Through a treasure trove of concerts, the RNCM’s initiative Dance:Music explores the symbiotic relationship between music and dance.

from £0.00
A musician looking into the distance.
Until
MusicManchester
RNCM Spring Season 2025

From classical masterpieces to cutting edge contemporary works, world-renowned soloists to homegrown talent, the RNCM spring season has it all.

from £8
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MusicManchester
Jonathan Biss (piano) at RNCM

Known for bridging Classical masterpieces with contemporary repertoire, Jonathan Biss performs Schubert sonatas and a specially commissioned piece by Tyshawn Sorey.

from £14.00

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Mohair Man, 1991, by Dave Swindells
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Poet Imtiaz Dharker. Photo by Ayesha Dharker
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David Lynch, International Women's Day and Manchester Film Festival are amongst our cinematic highlights this March.

GROVE
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We’re championing all things underground this month, with a selection of gigs and festivals that embrace the strange.