To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the International Women’s Year a small exhibition called “Women in the Performing Arts” has opened on the 4th floor of the National and University Library of Iceland. Women have always been active participants and trailblazers in Icelandic performing Arts. Five women were amongst the founders of the Reykjavík Theatre Company in 1897: Gunnþórunn Halldórsdóttir, Sigríður Jónsdóttir, Stefanía Guðmundsdóttir, Steinunn Runólfsdóttir og Þóra Sigurðardóttir. Items from both Gunnþórunn and Stefanía can be seen in the exhibition. Vigdís Finnbogadóttir became the first female artistic director at the same company almost 70 years later. Tinna Gunnlaugsdóttir then became the first artistic director of the National Theatre in 2005. Women were pioneers in dance and dance education in the country, they directed legendary performances, played unforgettable roles, designed sets and costumes, wrote and translated plays and of course played crucial roles behind the scenes sewing costumes, selling tickets and creating characters with make-up and hairstyles. A small fraction of women’s contribution to the performing arts in Iceland can be seen at the exhibition.