Festival for women creatives launches in beauty spot

A festival designed to bring women in the creative industry together and open doors for them is launching at a beauty spot.

Sistaland will take over Chew Valley Lake in Somerset from 10 to 12 July. The event started out as a WhatsApp group of like-minded creatives who wanted to connect in person.

About 500 creatives are expected to attend the three-day event, which will feature panels, workshops and performances.

Founder Nikita Dare, from Bristol, said: "It was built because people were exhausted, isolated and struggling silently in industries that often ask us to survive without support."

She added that finding a permanent place within the creative industry can feel out of reach for women and non-binary people and that needs to change.

"What started as a small WhatsApp group, and then last year's pilot festival [in Bristol], has grown into a movement.

"This festival is about honesty, creativity, rest, community and building a future where more people get to stay in the creative industries, not just break into them," Dare said.

Organisers said the event was focused on addressing burnout, gatekeeping and class barriers in the sector.

Anais Ferrato, one of the producers at female-led production company Candid Broads Productions, will showcase films about women's health at the event.

"What makes Sistaland so important is that it creates a space rooted in genuine connection. It uplifts people, opens doors, and brings together a community.

"Spaces like this one are still rare, yet so necessary. As creatives, we all need places that inspire us, remind us why we do what we do and make us feel part of something bigger.

"Sistaland feels exactly like that," she added.

The event is being run in collaboration with Lush, UN Women and Media Trust.

A spokesperson for Media Trust said the event is a brilliant platform to celebrate women's creativity while creating space for important conversations.

"We're looking forward to sharing the films and exploring how storytelling can help amplify voices, challenge assumptions and support change," they added.

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