This year’s International Women’s Day, celebrated annually on 8 March, is just a couple of weeks away. Here in the Cronx, Culture Croydon has partnered with Idle Women – an arts, environment and social justice collaboration – to bring us two rather special happenings taking place on Friday 6 and Saturday 7 March.

The collective title of these happenings: ‘All Women Are Artists…and they can’t fit us all in the Inter-National Gallery’ – intrigued? Well, read on…

On the Friday evening, there is an informal panel discussion with artists Raksha Patel, Carole Wright, Dr Alana Jelinek, Rayvenn Shaleigha D’Clark and B Atherton, to explore what an international gallery of women’s work would look like.

Then on the Saturday there is a creative gathering where we all come together to make and celebrate women’s art. Through an afternoon and evening of conversation, talks, activities and making we’ll be creating a group photograph – a co-created masterpiece, made by and for women. Oh and there’ll be food and music too.

Want to know more? Well we did too, so luckily we caught up with Rachel Anderson and Cis O’Boyle from Idle Women for a chat about the celebrations.

Croydonist: Your practice involves creating artworks that are also spaces – from boats to gardens to raves – created with and for women. What drew you to Croydon, and what made it the right place for this project?

Rachel: We were invited by Culture Croydon to collaborate for International Women’s Day – as we are a year round women’s project we usually take International Women’s Day off!

Croydon has such a brilliant reputation for making amazing cultural things happen in unexpected ways, and a vibrant network of individuals, groups and communities who work year round on diverse projects and ideas, so we were delighted to be welcomed by the team and we are hoping that for International Women’s Day we can acknowledge the ongoing work, hold time-out-of-time together – to charge our batteries, to celebrate, delight and surprise each other.

Idle Women’s works are co-created with women and always site-specific – so we respond to the places and people we meet, we usually begin by getting to know each other – doing something purposeful, there’s always food and activity, everyone gets involved and contributes, that’s where possibilities begin.

This welcome from Croydon offers a new platform to meet women from all walks of life so we’re really chuffed to be here.

Idle Women – If I can’t dance (by Claire Griffiths)

Croydonist: The title ‘All Women Are Artists…and they can’t fit us all in the Inter-National Gallery’ is both joyful and defiant. What does it mean to you, and whose creativity are you hoping to make visible here?

Cis: This is a broad and deep topic and we appreciate the many people who work to change old structural ideas about who gets to be an artist, who is acknowledged, who is celebrated, who is valued. But change is slow and we know that women across the Globe have an essential contribution to make and our voices are needed.

After years of trying to find a way in, we set up Idle Women to save time and get on with it, in many ways we are a ferocious celebration of the ignored. We ‘belong outside’ where we can move freely, working with women who don’t get called ‘artists’. We understand art as a process of transformation, of communication, of problem solving, of exploring, reaching beyond the horizon, navigating, pursuing a burning need, of complicated beauty. So we are getting together to celebrate women’s creativity in all its forms on our own terms.

Idle Women – Stadium for the future (by Jemima Yong)

Croydonist: For a woman in Croydon who might feel curious but hesitant about coming along, what kind of atmosphere are you creating – and what might she discover if she walks through the door?

Rachel: Women can expect an easy friendly welcome – a place to be as you are, a home from home, a place to feel you belong. You can come with a plan or come just because you’re curious.

The day will be relaxed – you can make yourself a drink, take time out, wander from area to area – join conversations, listen to or give a talk.

There will be activity stations – a wool mountain, badge making, Qi Gong, a herbal workshop to make your own sleep tea, you can dip in and out of these as you wish.

Women are also invited to share a skill – could you show another woman how to crochet? Do you make clay pots, sow seeds or draw cartoons? All contributions are welcome.

We will be making props and putting ideas together to create a group photograph – a co-created masterpiece, made by and for women – this will culminate at around 5pm.

For Iftar we are going to eat fabulous food, and after, for those who love to dance there will be music by DJ Devolicious.

Women can take part as much or as little as they like, nap on a bean bag or fill every moment with creative dynamism, it is all part of the day.

Left: Idle Women x Queer Rave, Right: Idle Women x Trinjan ( both by Jessie Leong)

Thank you to Rachel and Cis for chatting with us. We look forward to sharing the IWD weekend with them.

Reserve your free spot for the panel discussion here – taking place on Friday 6 March 2026, 6:30pm – 8:30pm, Braithwaite Hall, Croydon Clocktower.

Reserve your free spot for the creative gathering here – taking place on Saturday 7 Mar 2026, 3:00pm – 9:00pm, Braithwaite Hall, Croydon Clocktower.

To find out more about Idle Women follow them on Instagram.

Event illustration image by Goblin Purwin courtesy of Culture Croydon. Other images of Idle Women events, happenings and collaborations, courtesy of Idle Women.

Posted by Julia