International Women’s Day 2025

Sat 8 Mar, 2025

At Shakespeare North Playhouse, women make up over 75% of the leadership team, shaping artistic vision, securing resources, and redefining what leadership looks like in the industry. This International Women’s Day, we celebrate the women leading today, inspiring tomorrow, and building a more inclusive, equitable future for all.

In the UK’s arts and creative sector, women continue to face underrepresentation in leadership roles, reflecting broader gender disparities within the industry. Recent statistics highlighting this imbalance include:

• Creative Industries Workforce: Women make up roughly 33% of the workforce in the creative industries, with 60% of them in part-time roles. Notably, around two-thirds of senior managerial roles are held by men, while two-thirds of administrative and secretarial positions are held by women. (Source: Generation Equal)
• Senior Roles: In the creative and cultural industries, there are approximately 32,800 female leaders compared to 82,450 male leaders, indicating that for every female leader, there are approximately 2.5 male leaders. (Source: ResearchGate)

In an industry where women and non-binary people drive the work at lower and mid-management levels yet remain underrepresented in top leadership, we are proud to stand apart—celebrating the incredible women leading the charge at every level of Shakespeare North Playhouse

From shaping our artistic vision to securing the resources that bring those ideas to life, from setting the stage to lighting it just right, to making Shakespeare resonate for every generation and ensuring our audiences feel seen, heard, and welcomed—over 75% of our leadership team are women. The impact of thought-provoking and leading women is felt across the entire organisation at every level.

They’re not waiting for a seat at the table, they’re building a table: One that’s big enough for everybody.

This is not just about representation or filling a quota. It’s about shifting power dynamics, continuing to amplify women’s voices, and creating a more inclusive, diverse, and equitable arts industry for all. Everybody at Shakespeare North Playhouse is part of the engine that’s driving this progress forward and we are proud of our brilliant team: https://shakespearenorthplayhouse.co.uk/about-us/our-team/

To everybody celebrating IWD, leading today and inspiring tomorrow: We see you, we celebrate you, and we are stronger because of you.