Featuring the work of women in the arts in Edmonton - MARCH 6-16, 2025

SkirtsAfire Festival
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    • The Organization
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    • The Staff
    • Artistic Producer Announcement
    • Festival Artist Impact Statements
    • Strategic Plan
    • Honorary Skirts
    • Covid Collections: The Book
    • Policies
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Land Acknowledgement
  • 2025 Festival
    • Online 50/50 Cash Raffle
    • Festival Schedule
    • Venues
    • Accessibility
    • FAQs
    • Festival Passes
    • Dance Nation by Clare Barron
    • Walterdale Theatre
      • The Shoe Project
      • Ocêpihkowan: It Has Roots
      • Comedy Night
    • Holy Trinity Church
      • Songs in the Sanctuary
    • Chianti Cafe
      • The Key of Me at Chianti
    • La Cité Francophone
      • Off the Page
      • emBODYment
    • Portraits on Whyte: A Visual Art Scavenger Hunt
    • Lobby Art Installations
    • Workshops
      • Intimacy Workshop for Actors
      • Intimacy Workshop for Directors, Educators & Artistic Leadership
    • Survey
  • Sponsors
    • Our Sponsors & Partners
    • Become a Sponsor
  • Get Involved
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    • Call for Indigenous Artists
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Festival Artist Impact Statements

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🔥 SkirtsAfire Festival is a place where artists 🔥 SkirtsAfire Festival is a place where artists discover their voices and find the courage to share their stories.

Today, we’re thrilled to feature an impact statement from Fatima Ibrahimi, a participant in this year’s The Shoe Project.

💬 "SkirtsAfire provides a powerful platform for women’s voices and diverse stories. As an artist, I felt empowered, supported, and truly part of a vibrant community. This festival fosters creativity, inclusivity, and a deep appreciation for storytelling, making a lasting impact on the arts community. SkirtsAfire helped me find my voice in a way I never thought possible and gave me the confidence to stand on stage and share my story. It was a humbling and powerful moment for me and their belief in me made it possible. I’ll always remember this experience.”

Stay tuned as we continue to spotlight the incredible artists of SkirtsAfire 2025! 🔥

Photo by Darla Woodley of @red_socks_photography 
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#SkirtsAfire2025 #ArtistImpact #YEGHerStory #YEGTheirStory #YEGOurStory #YEGHistory #FeelTheHeat #InternationalWomensDay #EdmontonArt #ExploreEdmonton #YEGFestival #YEG #WomenInTheArts #YEGTheatre #CityOfFestivals #YEGgers #YEGEvent #YEGDance #IndigenousArt #YEGMusic #YEGPoetry #YEGDate #YEGDesign #QueerTheatre #QueerArt
🔥 SkirtsAfire Festival is about more than just 🔥 SkirtsAfire Festival is about more than just performances - it's about amplifying voices, challenging norms, and creating space for artists to thrive.

We’re honoured to share impact statements from some of the incredible artists who made our 2025 Festival unforgettable. Today’s spotlight is on Kristen Padayas, a performer in this year's MainStage production: Dance Nation by Clare Barron.

💬 “My experience with SkirtsAfire festival was incredibly gratifying as an artist. There is not a lot of theatre produced in Alberta that casts that many women of different ages, sizes, and ethnicities in a play all at once. To take that space onstage unapologetically is incredibly empowering and provocative. I feel proud and honoured to have been a part of a challenging and thought-provoking play that asked its audience to reflect on their discomforts surrounding girls, women, sexuality, and power.”

Stay tuned as we continue to spotlight the artists of SkirtsAfire 2025! 🔥

Photo by @briannejang of @bb_collective 
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#SkirtsAfire2025 #ArtistImpact #YEGHerStory #YEGTheirStory #YEGOurStory #YEGHistory #FeelTheHeat #InternationalWomensDay #EdmontonArt #ExploreEdmonton #YEGFestival #YEG #WomenInTheArts #YEGTheatre #CityOfFestivals #YEGgers #YEGEvent #YEGDance #IndigenousArt #YEGMusic #YEGPoetry #YEGDate #YEGDesign #QueerTheatre #QueerArt
🔥 That’s a Wrap on SkirtsAfire 2025! 🔥 Th 🔥 That’s a Wrap on SkirtsAfire 2025! 🔥

This year’s Festival was truly something special, featuring 5 venues, 26 live performances, 1 incredible workshop, stunning visual art installations, and over 2000 attendees!

Form thought-provoking theatre to dynamic music, captivating storytelling to groundbreaking dance, every event was filled with creativity, connection, and unforgettable moments. 

Thank you to everyone who joined us, supported us, and shared in the magic. Relive the energy and artistry of SkirtsAfire 2025 one more time with this highlight reel! ❤️‍🔥

Keep an eye on our socials and newsletter to stay up-to-date with all things SkirtsAfire this summer including artist calls, fundraiser details, and our AGM!

Shoutout to our amazing photographers:
- @briannejang of @bb_collective
- Brittany Ponto of @bb_collective
- Darlene Woodley of @red_socks_photography
- April MacDonald Killins (@april_mac_killins)
- Brizsa Pedroso (@brizsa)
🔥 Staff Appreciation Post! 🔥 This is just s 🔥 Staff Appreciation Post! 🔥

This is just some of the incredible team who poured their time, energy, and passion into making this year’s SkirtsAfire Festival happen. From long days to countless hours behind the scenes, we couldn’t have asked for a better group of women to keep everything running smoothly. ❤️

Photo 1 by Brittany Ponto of @bb_collective
From left to right: Linh Dang, Brianne Jang, Amanda Goldberg, Alyson Dicey, Amanda Samuelson

Photo 2 by @briannejang of @bb_collective 
From left to right: Elka Eisenzimmer, Amanda Goldberg, Brianne Jang, Amanda Samuelson, Alyson Dicey
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#SkirtsAfire2025 #YEGHerStory #YEGTheirStory #YEGOurStory #YEGHistory #FeelTheHeat #InternationalWomensDay #EdmontonArt #ExploreEdmonton #YEGFestival #YEG #WomenInTheArts #YEGTheatre #CityOfFestivals #YEGgers #YEGEvent #YEGDance #IndigenousArt #YEGMusic #YEGPoetry #YEGDate #YEGDesign #QueerTheatre #QueerArt
🔥 A Heartfelt THANK YOU to Our Volunteers! 🔥 🔥 A Heartfelt THANK YOU to Our Volunteers! 🔥

Our phenomenal volunteers are the backbone of SkirtsAfire Festival, and we are endlessly grateful for your dedication, hard work, and passion. From the smallest tasks to the biggest efforts, everything you do contributes to the magic of the Festival. Your commitment makes a lasting impact on our community, and we couldn’t do it without you!

Here's to you - thank you for being such an essential part of SkirtsAfire! ❤️🔥

Photo 1 by Darla Woodley of @red_socks_photography 
Photos 2 and 3 by Brittany Ponto of @bb_collective 
Photos 4 and 5 by @april_mac_killins
Photos 6 - 10 by @briannejang of @bb_collective 
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#SkirtsAfire2025 #Volunteers #YEGHerStory #YEGTheirStory #YEGOurStory #YEGHistory #FeelTheHeat #InternationalWomensDay #EdmontonArt #ExploreEdmonton #YEGFestival #YEG #WomenInTheArts #YEGTheatre #CityOfFestivals #YEGgers #YEGEvent #YEGDance #IndigenousArt #YEGMusic #YEGPoetry #YEGDate #YEGDesign #QueerTheatre #QueerArt
🔥 Festival Recap: Intimacy Workshop 🔥 At Sk 🔥 Festival Recap: Intimacy Workshop 🔥

At SkirtsAfire, we’re passionate about creating safe, informed, and empowering spaces for artists - and our Intimacy Workshop was a perfect reflection of that! Led by Julie Murphy, this workshop provided invaluable tools for navigating intimacy for both performers and creative leaders in theatre, providing essential tools to foster trust, consent, and artistic growth.

Participants explored trauma-informed theory, boundary-setting, and best practices for auditions, rehearsals, and performance. From understanding power dynamics to applying choreographic language for staged intimacy, this workshop equipped attendees with actionable strategies to create bold, honest, and safe storytelling on stage.

A huge thank you to everyone who took part in this important conversation - your dedication to fostering safer, more intentional creative spaces makes all the difference! 💛

Thank you to @bottomlineproductions for sponsoring this workshop!

Photos by @briannejang of @bb_collective 
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#SkirtsAfire2025 #IntimacyWorkshop #YEGHerStory #YEGTheirStory #YEGOurStory #YEGHistory #FeelTheHeat #InternationalWomensDay #EdmontonArt #ExploreEdmonton #YEGFestival #YEG #WomenInTheArts #YEGTheatre #CityOfFestivals #YEGgers #YEGEvent #YEGDance #IndigenousArt #YEGMusic #YEGPoetry #YEGDate #YEGDesign #QueerTheatre #QueerArt
We couldn’t be more excited to be partnering wit We couldn’t be more excited to be partnering with our friends at @commongroundarts to present Ms. Pat's Kitchen by @jameela_jade – don’t miss your chance to get a look at this work-in-progress at the RISER New Works Festival before it hits the SkirtsAfire stage in 2026! And be sure to check out all the incredible shows happening May 15-18. 

TICKETS at our link in bio!
🔥 Festival Recap: emBODYment 🔥 Movement, st 🔥 Festival Recap: emBODYment 🔥

Movement, storytelling, and expression took center stage at emBODYment, a stunning showcase of jaw-dropping acts from floor to ceiling that we wish we could experience all over again! 💃✨ Hosted by the wonderful Rebecca Bissonnette, this event featured a breathtaking lineup of artists: 

- Casa Adentro
- Gillian Moon & Evelyn Joy
- Usha Kala Niketan
- Mars Wolfe Lafreniere
- Sneha Chandrababu
- Caitlin Mader
- Flying Foxes 
- Sandra Olarte
- Romero Dance Collective

A huge thank you to these amazing performers for bringing their artistry to SkirtsAfire and to everyone who came out to experience the power of movement with us!

Sending a big thank you to our Event Sponsor: @grooveboxinc!

Photos by @april_mac_killins 
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#SkirtsAfire2025 #emBODYment #YEGHerStory #YEGTheirStory #YEGOurStory #YEGHistory #FeelTheHeat #InternationalWomensDay #EdmontonArt #ExploreEdmonton #YEGFestival #YEG #WomenInTheArts #YEGTheatre #CityOfFestivals #YEGgers #YEGEvent #YEGDance #IndigenousArt #YEGMusic #YEGPoetry #YEGDate #YEGDesign #QueerTheatre #QueerArt
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Copyright 2025 SkirtsAfire.

SkirtsAfire respectfully acknowledges that we are telling stories on the traditional and ancestral homeland of diverse Indigenous peoples including Nehiyawak (Cree), Metis, Inuit, Dene, Blackfoot, Saulteaux and Nakota Sioux, who have lived and travelled through this place thousands of years before us. We are all treaty people and as settlers to Treaty 6 Territory, which is also home to Métis Settlements and the Métis Nation of Alberta, we are striving to better listen, understand and learn from the Indigenous ways of knowing, being and doing. We respect and celebrate the languages, history and culture of the First Nations, Metis and Inuit whose presence continues to enrich this vibrant community here in ᐊᒥᐢᑲᐧᒋᐋᐧᐢᑲᐦᐃᑲᐣ, Amiskwacîwâskahikan, also known as Edmonton, and at SkirtsAfire.

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