International Women’s Day 2026

On Saturday 7 March, Belloo Co-Artistic Director Katherine Lyall-Watson joined a panel on Finding Your Tribe and Building Resilience at Kedron-Wavell’s International Women’s Day morning tea.

In the discussion, Katherine reflected on Belloo’s approach to collaboration and the importance of strong support networks in sustaining creative practice.

Belloo recognises that, despite enormous progress, women in the sector still face structural barriers — from historic underpayment and limited leadership opportunities to the ongoing challenge of balancing creative work with disproportionate caring responsibilities. Theatre schedules rarely align with conventional working hours: late-night rehearsals, technical weeks that run into the early hours, weekend performances and opening night events can make sustaining a long-term career particularly difficult without strong support networks.

Finding your tribe is essential for sustaining a career in the arts. Creative work is built through collaboration, shared knowledge and mutual support. Strong networks help artists advocate for one another, navigate industry challenges, and create space for stories that have historically been underrepresented on our stages.

At Belloo, this commitment shapes how we work. We actively champion women’s voices, support women across artistic and technical roles, and build collaborative environments where artists can develop ambitious work while sustaining long creative lives.

With gratitude,
The Belloo Team