What Women Write

What Women Write was a programme of free creative writing workshops led and delivered by ArtfulScribe, supported by Southampton Forward as part of the city’s Jane Austen 250 programme.

Running from November 2025 to January 2026, workshops took place across Southampton and online, led by local women writers and open to anyone who identifies as a woman. Sessions explored themes including neurodivergence, motherhood and the experiences of marginalised women, alongside broader reflections on what it means to live as a woman in the city today.

Designed to be accessible and inclusive, the workshops required no previous writing experience. Alongside open sessions, the programme included workshops specifically for Asian women, neurodivergent participants and mothers with babies, taking place in libraries, community centres, October Books and online.

Across the programme, 67 people took part in creative writing workshops, with 36 artists responding to an open call and nine freelance writers employed to help deliver the project.

By working through local cultural partner ArtfulScribe, What Women Write created space for a diverse range of women’s voices, experiences and stories to be heard. The project contributed a contemporary perspective to Southampton’s Jane Austen 250 celebrations while creating new opportunities for creative participation and representation across the city.