SkirtsAfire Festival began (as so many good ideas do) with red wine, popcorn, and some brilliant women! The festival was created to address the gender inequity that women artists were experiencing in the theatre community and larger multidisciplinary arts communities, from lack of roles for women to a disparity within leadership positions. SkirtsAfire was built to create opportunities for women in the arts and to highlight the diversity of their stories. In conjunction with International Women’s Day, this year’s 11-day programming features a wide array of passionate, transformative, and engaging women-led performances, workshops, and exhibits.
Starting out on Alberta Avenue, the festival has grown and evolved over the 12 years it has been running. Since 2012, SkirtsAfire has produced over 182 shows, 24 workshops, 24 exhibits, and given opportunities to over 1455 women. Additionally, over 21,860 audience members have visited the festival!
