The Inspirational Women of Latitude Festival

The Latitude Festival line-up is jam-packed with inspiring women from all walks of life -- among them musicians, comedians, artists, writers, activists and performers. To mark International Women's Day today (8 March 2018) Latitude Festival celebrates these inspirational women.

Latitude music headliners and Grammy Award-winning recording artist, songwriter, and visual artist Solange Knowles received the Harvard Foundation Artist of the Year Award. Knowles, who named one of Glamour magazine's women of 2017 and received the Billboard Impact Award, has used her public platform to advocate for justice and fair representation, promoting constructive and empowering political messages. It's a sentiment that resonates across the Latitude bill.

Solange is joined on the music bill by some the world's top female talent including Jessie Ware, Ibeyi, Jade Bird, Fazerdaze, DJ Eclair Fifi and female fronted bands including Wolf Alice, The Breeders, Alvvays, Black Honey, Fickle Friends, Bomba Estereo and tUnE-yArDs

Jessie Ware commented; 'I'm so excited about festival season this year, being able to sing and catch so many other women performing in their element and inspiring me. I learn so much every year. '

French-Cuban twin-sister duo Ibeyi who's single Deathless was written '˜For everybody that feels that they are nothing, that feels small, that feels not cared about and we want them to listen to our song and for three minutes feel large, powerful, deathless' commented; "We hope to see you at Latitude to experience the love and empowerment of singing 'We are Deathless' as one, all together  '

 Æ MAK, the first act chosen for the Festival Republic and PRS Foundation's ReBalance, an initiative to address gender imbalance in the music industry make their Latitude debut.  Aoife McCann, front-woman commented;'Myself and the boys are really looking forward to introducing the world of Æ MAK to the crowds at this year's Latitude. 100% captivated and inspired by the creative and empowering energies of the rising female writers and performers of today and proud to be among them. Happy, happy women's day!'

Latitude's bill has always featured the best comedy acts at the top of their game. One of the most critically acclaimed British stand-up comedians of this decade Bridget Christie headlines the comedy arena alongside a huge range of inspiration female comedians including Shappi Khorsandi, Abigoliah Schamaun, Aisling Bea, Fern Brady, Gráinne Maguire, Jayde Adams, Kiri Pritchard-McLean, Lauren Pattison, Lolly Adefope, Lou Sanders, Phoebe Walsh, and more. Where's The F In News , BBC RADIO 4's energetic, intelligent female-anchored show will also feature live at the festival.

Bridget Christie commented;  "Time's Up indeed.  I've found the #MeToo and Time's Up movements incredibly inspiring and emboldening, but while I'm obviously delighted loads of men are now shitting themselves and examining their own conduct and behaviour, it has taken 200,000 years to get to this point. Call me fussy and ungrateful, but in an ideal world, men shouldn't need the threat of being publicly exposed to understand why jizzing into a plant pot in front of a stranger is NOT cool, they should just instinctively know.  Anyway, softly softly catchee monkey. We're getting there! Oh yes, and as I'm not on Twitter can someone give Piers Morgan a message for me? Fuck off, mate.'

Latitude has a reputation for having one of the most eclectic lineups in the UK, and 2018 is no exception: Sadler's Wells return to Henham Park on the Waterfront Stage, and Scottish Dance Theatre will present Fleur Darkin's Velvet Petal.  Mind-blowing, multi-platform live artist Bryony Kimmings brings first solo show in 10 years, I'm A Phoenix, Bitch to Latitude.

Bryony commented; '˜I don't mean to be rude and believe me I love boys... I have a son. But women should be running the world. The dudes have screwed it. Give us a go. Even the gods are blokes. Time to reframe the way it ALL happens.'

One of Britain's most loved and inspirational documentary presenters Stacey Dooley headlines the Speakeasy tent. In her first book, On the Front Line with the Women Who Fight Back, Stacey draws on her encounters with brave and wonderful women from all over the world.

Stacey said 'I'm delighted to be attending Latitude alongside a number of remarkable artists! It's incredibly exciting! Brilliant, fierce women are at the core of almost everything, and in my book I focus specifically on remarkable females. From survivors of domestic violence in Honduras, to the Yazidi women in Iraq on the frontline fighting back'¦Â  There are important conversations to be had right across the board, and I hope both Latitude and the book spark much needed debate!'