International Women’s Day 2026
We’re celebrating women’s creativity in all its forms, the things our hands make, the solutions we find for impossible problems, the beauty we carve into the day, the relationships we navigate, the stories we keep alive and the visions we share.
This is a women’s space – co-created together. Do you have a skill to share? Is there something you want to speak about? Do you want to dance? Can you organise the tea station? Could you welcome those who are nervous? Are you simply bringing your curiosity? We need you, we need each other! All women are welcome.
What to expect
Work together to make a celebration of women’s art.
We have space; time; food; Iftar meal; discussion; activity; purpose; dancing.
Through conversation, talks, activities and making we are going to create a group photograph – a co-created masterpiece, made by and for women. Then we are going to eat fabulous food and dance (if we want to) to music by DJ Devolicious.
Come from the start and stay till the end, or drop in and out as best suits you but please book your free place in advance.
3pm – 5pm Open Mic Art Talk
This is space for you to talk about art – anyway or how you like. Sign up for 10-minute slots and tell us about your grandma, the idea in your pocket, your PHD, hanging out the washing, dance your words, and roar the things that trip you up.
3pm – 5pm Collective Making
Share a skill, learn a skill, make without skill. Work towards our co-created masterpiece – make a costume, a prop, an accessory, adorn yourself or the room ready for the culminating moment. Can you host a workshop station for some of the afternoon?
5pm Co-create a masterpiece, made by and for women.
We’ll all come together for a culminating masterpiece moment. We will create an extraordinary group photograph – everything that has happened before is for this moment – the big bang – the masterpiece is created (everyone will receive a copy).
5.54pm (approx) Ramadan Fast breaking
6pm Evening Meal (food and soft drinks will be provided)
7pm – 9pm Dancing and social
Would you like to offer a skill or sign up to give an open mic talk? You can tell us more when you book your place.
What to bring:
● Anything that you need to be comfortable for a day
● Dancing shoes
● Ideas, costume and props for the group photograph (optional)
Prayer and Quiet Room Available
About Idle Women
Idle Women create artworks which are spaces: a boat, a garden, a rave, a website. Their works are sculptural, site-specific and contextual. They are created through social justice collaborations and built to last, to be animated and inhabited by women. Their projects create transformative spaces for women that can’t be cut, closed or taken away.
Idle Women is a collaboration with women from any and all walks of life.
All Women Are Artists…and they can’t fit us all in the Inter-National Gallery has been commissioned by Croydon Culture and co-created by Idle Women with Linda Devo, Rachel Anderson, Cis O’Boyle, Candice Purwin, Raksha Patel, Carole Wright, Alana Jelinek, Rayvenn D’Clark, B Atherton, Zoe Denning and Caterina Loriggio, with Croydon Culture team and all the women we will meet in the making of this moment.
www.idlewomen.org
Instagram: @Idle_women
Croydon Clocktower is 10 – 15 mins walk from either West Croydon or East Croydon Station. Trains from Victoria or London Bridge take circa 15 minutes to East Croydon.
Illustration by Goblin Purwin.