Brighton has its share of unique, and FemFest is certainly that. For the fifth year running, FemFest is Brighton’s only arts festival made by and for people of all marginalised gender identities. This year they’re packing in a programme of theatre, cabaret, comedy, spoken word and workshops over the second weekend of March. We caught up with Maddie Ross, who founded the festival, to find out what makes it so special.

What are you excited about in this year’s programme?

It’s so hard to pick, the line-up this year is so strong (even if I do have a hand in programming it!). Theatre events I am most looking forward to include Monument by Tatenda Naomi Matsvai. Tatenda is one of the Barbican Young Poets for 2022/23 and they have received brilliant reviews for their previous work, it feels so special to be bringing an early career artist who is going from strength to strength to the festival. I’m also really looking forward to Su Mi’s show Banana Beard – the musical/comedy act did brilliantly at Edinburgh Fringe last year sweeping up a load of awards and I know our audiences are going to love it.

Tatenda Naomi Matsvai – Monument

Su Mi – Banana Beard (photo by Bill Black)

I had the pleasure of seeing ‘Unforgettable Girl’ at Edinburgh Fringe last year and after leaving the performance I was determined to programme it at FemFest. The show explores the violence inflicted on bodies of colour. Elisabeth Gunawan who created and stars in the show is definitely one to watch. Bertie Hodd (winner of Brighton Drag Pageant 2023) is also bringing a brand new trans+ cabaret night to the festival called Gender Blender and I cannot wait for this. Workshop events I’m really looking forward to are Lucy Andrina’s Bellydancing Workshop; The Artist Edie’s zine making and life drawing for disabled dykes and queers; and Manjot Dhaliwal’s South Asian Women’s Poetry Workshop.

Elisabeth Gunawan – Unforgettable Girl (photo by Andy McCredie)

Manjot Dhaliwal – South Asian Poetry Night

How did FemFest start? What were the challenges?

It started as a very DIY affair at Sweet Venues in Brighton in 2020 (just before the first lockdown). We had ten events over a week and I was amazed at what a fantastic response the festival had in the city: it was clear that what we had created was filling a cultural chasm in Brighton. The main challenge was definitely raising initial finances to get FemFest off the ground. From memory I put the festival on with £500, risking my own finances, and we made a loss of around £25; I had to be very creative with my shoestring budget, but I think our audiences appreciate our rough-around-the-edges approach. Other barriers were of course gaining the trust of artists. It’s always a risk bringing your work to an unknown event, especially one that has no track record. Thankfully I had met lots of artists during my work at festivals over the previous four years and I am so grateful to the folks who were with us that first year as their trust meant our flamingo baby could be born!

Last year there were 17 events and this year there are a massive 27 over four days. Tell us how all this has happened?

Last year was our first year at The Actors, who are champions of work from LGBTQIA+ artists. This saw us upgrade from a 35-seater venue at Sweet Venues to a 60-seater. We had nearly 500 audience members at last year’s festival and multiple sell-out events. I could see the demand for work was only increasing as the festival grew and felt that expanding our programme further was an essential part of our growth. I also now have a co-producer, Annie North, and junior producer, Bertie Hodd, working with me, as well as a dedicated graphic designer, Sally Woodcock, and technical manager, Jesse Payne, which meant we could expand the programme further but still offer our signature level of support to artists. The increase in events also largely came down to the massive amount of applications we had for slots at the 2024 festival. We had roughly 100 applicants and I wanted to give as many of these people a chance to perform as I could, as well as programming artists who I had seen over the last year and thought would be a great fit for the festival.

Sitting Pretty with Kitty

Bisexuelle

You have a special mentoring programme for three emerging creatives. Tell us more about this – what it involves, what you do, how you choose them?

Our Early Career Artist scheme is one of the things I am most proud of about FemFest. We offer three spots to artists at early stages of their careers. We offer them mentorship with writers and directors who are part of the FemFest network to improve their work as well as specialist support in verbatim, clown and comedy direction. They also receive mentorship in graphic design, technical design, marketing, costume design, and production. As well as this, whilst they are at the festival they receive free poster printing, free rehearsal space, and waived technician fees, to allow them to put on their work with zero financial risk. We offer all of this mentorship and support to give them the tools to go out into the wider industry with confidence and the ability to put on their work at lower financial risk and with more professionalism.

What do creatives go on to do next? What are your biggest success stories?

Our three early career artists last year were Amiot (with Antichrist), Selena Mersey (with Madonna/Whore) and Ri Baroche (with Drag ‘n’ Drop). All three of these artists have gone on to do brilliant things since their time with us at the Festival.

Amiot has gone on to perform Antichrist at Theatre Deli in London and Vault Festival, as well as winning a place at Duckies Homosexual Summer School. They are coming back to FemFest 2024 with a new show called: I Am Going To Build A Chapel In The Woods For Every Dead Queer That History Has Forgotten And I Need Your Help.

Amiot – Antichrist (photo by Holly Revel)

Selena sold out her show of Madonna/Whore at FemFest 2023 and the show went on to win the Lamb Comedy Productions Queer Comedy Award at Brighton Fringe, and the Brighton Seagull ‘Best Concept’ Award. Selena was also a finalist at the 2023 Musical Comedy Awards last year.

Selena Mersey – Madonna/Whore (photo by Deadplantz Film and Photography)

Ri has gone on to bring their drag persona Dragona Budjet to multiple cabaret bills in the South East and West. They’ve received Arts Council funding for their Writing For Queer Joy workshop and writers showcase and additional funding to further develop and tour their show Drag ‘n’ Drop, which premiered at FemFest 2023. They have also produced a podcast called ‘Psst’ which deals with queer joy, queer writers and writing.

Ri Baroche – Drag ‘n’ Drop

If you could sum FemFest up in one sentence, what would it be?

FemFest is a rebellious, anti-capitalist and joyful celebration of AFAB, queer, non-binary and trans+ artists and audiences.

FemFest runs 7th – 10th March 2024 at The Actors
For further information and tickets, see the FemFest website: www.femfestbrighton.co.uk
Main image by Rose Bainbridge