Open The Door Festival 2021 – Scottish Women’s Writing
Thursday 20th May – Saturday 22nd May 2021
Online
Scotland’s first ever festival for Scottish women’s writing returns for its fifth edition! This year inviting the world to Open the Door again, as Glasgow Women’s Library host the festival entirely online.
Inspired by Glasgow’s long history of bold, creative women, the theme this year will be writers who are artists and artists who are writers celebrating how they weave these two practices together.
From workshops to nurture your own creativity, to convivial conversations to inspire and illuminate, the Festival will open the doors into the worlds of reading, writing and art.
Writers and Artists
Featuring contemporary writers and artists including Amanda Thomson, Kate Charlesworth, and Sabba Khan, in conversation with creatives including Amy Gear and Nyla Ahmad, and spotlighting the work of historic writers and artists Wendy Wood, Edith Simon and Zarina Hashmi, this is a Festival like no other.
Open the Door 2021 is supported by the Open University in Scotland and the British Council.

Enter Calm Slam Competition – See details.
Deadline 30th April, 2021
Submit a video of you reading your poem, but you don’t need to be on screen if that’s not your bag. You can either use your mobile to film yourself reading your poem, or film something in your surroundings (a river, a tree, your carpet!) as you read aloud.
Please send the video of your work by 12 noon on Friday 30th April.
This section: Books, Talks, Poetry and Creative Writing Events, Events, Fairs, Festivals and Fundraisers, What's On Glasgow West End: cinema, clubs, theatre, music, events, festivals, community and more, Zoom and online events
Related Pages
- NAZA at GFT
- Through the Word, Through the House Cafe, Poetry and Music
- To Absent Friends – Special Evening of Poetry
- Golden Friendships – Children’s Halloween Party
- Hallowe’en Market Glasgow
- Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival 2026
- Open Casting Workshop, A Play, A Pie and A Pint
- Hallowe’en at GFT, 2026
- The Jackie Marno-McGoldrick Art Prize and Exhibition 2026
- Scotland Loves Anime at GFT November 2026
- The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie – Citizens Theatre
- The Littlest Yak – Paisley Arts Centre
- Scotland’s first Stained Glass museum to be opened in lasting tribute to the works of Alf Webster
- Unveiling Nelson Mandela Statue in Glasgow
- Sleepy Hollow Screening at Arlington Baths
- Water Here, Water There
- Turn A Different Corner at Cottiers
- Giant Bubble Show at Cottiers
- Music Night with Freedom From Torture and H4TH
- Woodlands Anti-Racist Film Club – Dreamers (2025)