After 12 years at the artistic helm of the Southbank Centre, Jude Kelly CBE has announced she is moving on to focus on the worldwide development of the fantastic WOW (Women of the World) festival.
Jude Kelly said “It is difficult to imagine a more stimulating and enjoyable time than the twelve years I’ve spent at Southbank Centre – and I shall miss it terribly. With the Centre in excellent hands, now is the perfect time for me to move on.
“In seven years WOW – Women of the World – has grown from a single Southbank Centre festival to a significant presence on six continents and is now both intensely challenging and rewarding, with a terrific future ahead. As well as turning WOW into a global movement I shall be developing new artistic projects that arise from the core WOW idea. It is a very exciting time!”
Jude joined the Southbank Centre in 2006, quickly developing a reputation for bold programming. In 2010 Jude founded WOW – Women of the World festivals, which have now become a global movement. To date, there have been over 42 WOW’s in 23 countries across six continents, and we have been privileged to run Funny Women workshops, shows and stalls at the WOW Southbank every year since the festival began in 2010.
We also took part in WOW Exeter and WOW Perth last year with the 2017 Funny Women Awards heats. The London event is always a favourite date in our comedy calendar and this year is no exception with a showcase planned on Sunday 11th March. http://southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/126383-funny-women-showcase-2018#events
WOW celebrates the history and potential of girls and women in all fields of life and highlights the obstacles that prevent gender equality from being achieved. Jude will present WOW worldwide via a new organisation she is launching. The WOW festival in London will continue to be presented in partnership with Southbank Centre.
Elaine Bedell, Chief Executive, Southbank Centre, said: “Jude leaves a strong legacy for us to celebrate and build upon and I thank her for the artistic drive and passion she has brought to Southbank Centre. Under her creative leadership we now attract some of the most diverse audiences and staff of any UK arts venue and we will continue to ensure that Southbank Centre remains open and accessible to all.”
