Homotopia
FrequencyAnnually in late October and November, some activities all year
Location(s)Liverpool, England and international
Years active20
Inaugurated2004
Websitewww.homotopia.net Edit this at Wikidata

Homotopia is an international LGBTQ+ arts festival held annually in Liverpool, England. The festival takes place in late-October and throughout November every year and features a mixture of theatre, dance, film, photography, art, cabaret and debate at numerous venues across Liverpool.[1][2]

Homotopia is the longest running annual LGBT arts and culture festival in the United Kingdom.[3]

History

Homotopia 2004 Closing Party at The Masque, Liverpool

Homotopia was launched as a pilot project on 1 November 2004, in response to Liverpool's successful bid to become European Capital of Culture. The festival was commissioned by the Liverpool Culture Company's Creative Communities project, and started life as a ten-day programme of film, theatre, photography, art, comedy, storytelling and heritage designed to bring together an assortment of artists.[4][5] Heavily supported by Liverpool City Council, the initiative was hailed as a sign of the city's 'growing maturity' in the run up to Capital of Culture and as an opportunity for the gay and lesbian community to play a vital part in the region's rich and diverse cultural life.[6]

The first event was attended by some 2750 people, but by the following year its visitor numbers had doubled, partly due to the high calibre of guests who had featured including prominent gay rights activist Peter Tatchell.[7][8][9]

By 2008, the festival had showcased the largest Tom of Finland art retrospective in the UK as well as the first ever North-West Grand Vogue Ball and visitor numbers had climbed to over 12,000. City leaders praised the celebration as a highlight of Liverpool's cultural calendar.[10][11]

2009 marked a new chapter for Homotopia, when a youth visit to Poland helped to forge new international partnerships. The visit became instrumental in the development of the festival's international arts programme and burgeoning social justice work.[12] The trip also inspired an anti-homophobia documentary and education pack, which was rolled out to 100 schools and youth centres across Liverpool, gaining notable support from out gay Hollywood actor Sir Ian McKellen.[13]

Since 2010, in addition to offering its diverse Liverpool schedule, Homotopia's work has expanded internationally and attracted audiences at various functions in Turkey, Finland, Sweden and Russia.[14][15][16]

In 2011, Homotopia was granted National Portfolio status by Arts Council England.[17]

In 2018, Homotopia founder and long term Artistic Director, Gary Everett, parted ways with the organisation. Guest Curator, Cheryl Martin, led the programming of the 2018 festival.

After a period of uncertainty, the Board of Trustees appointed Char Binns as Festival Director in early 2020. Alex Ferguson was appointed as Producer to lead the organisation into a new era. The pair had previously managed the festival in a freelance capacity.

Structure and governance

Homotopia was founded in 2004 as an unincorporated association, with a small grant from Liverpool City Council. In 2012, in the same year it was included in the Arts Council England National Portfolio of organisations (NPO), it became a private limited company limited by guarantee, with charitable aims. Its main annual funders are Arts Council England and Liverpool City Council.[18]

As of 2023, it is governed by a nine member Board of Trustees who volunteer their time to run the festival and oversee its finances.[19][20]

The board members are (as of 2023):

Additional staff include:

Board members do not have to identify as LGBTQIA, but must have a good understanding of the challenges faced by the community and share a 'passion for queer culture'. The board meets every two to three months in Liverpool City Centre and/or via Zoom meetings. Board members are required to maintain a minimum of 50 percent attendance at meetings. They must be willing to attend key events, launches and performances, be an advocate and ambassador for the festival and must serve for a maximum term of 4 years (2 x terms of 2 years).

Past festivals

Year Dates Theme Location of launch party Description Sources
2022 1 November
until
20 November 		Queer Joy Is A Protest Tate Liverpool Numerous events including:
  • Cabaret by The Bitten Peach, Tea for T4T and Queer the City by Tabby Lamb and Andrew Bullock, This Charming Man by Sian Davies, Confetti by Will Jackson, Woman Hood by Ursula Graber, UTOPIAN by Symoné, Queer Punk is a Protest featuring Skinny Girl Diet, pink suits and Piss Kitti at Quarry. 'Where are all the lesbians' featuring Lynne Harwood, Mark Anthony, Chardine Taylor-Stone and Marcella Rick.
 [21][22][23]
2021 28 October
until
14 November 		Coming Out Numerous events including:
  • Jade Anouka - Debut of 'HEART' play, performance workshop and online watch party of Her & Her; Queer, As In Funny featuring Rosie Jones; Peter Groom presents Dietrich: Live; One in, One out - Liverpool’s smallest Gay Bar at Everyman’s Street Café; Darren Pritchard Dance presents the Family Vogue Ball; The Return of The Jinkx & De La Holiday Show, Live!; Sian Davies and Rosie Wilby present Breakup Monologues; The Village Hall by Tabby Lamb; Final Baby Girl by Baby Lame; David Hoyle evening of performance and provocation; Virtual events included Pearl Necklace, Round the Horne inspired queer sketch revue for the TikTok generation in partnership with District & DESPITE THE MONKEY, on-demand series of LGBTQIA film shorts from around the globe.
 [24][25][26][27]
2020 29 October
until
15 November 		Show Your Working Over 20 events including:
  • Fox Fisher: #Transtopia live screenprinting, Queer Bodies Workshop, Queer Arts North at Homotopia; My Genderation: Shorts, Screenings and Discussion; QueerCentric Music Night Concert; Eat Me: The Limited Edition; Chair Dancing Fitness Take 2, Mirror Mirror, A Lovely Word at Homotopia, Trans Creative at the Movies, Fox Fisher in conversation, Pride – Film With Pride, Collective Encounters: Queer Womxn in Action; Days Out, Drag Promenade, One Woman, TGPFEST – The Goddess Projects, Queer the City Art Crawl, Naomi Westerman's 'Woof Woof.'
 [28][29]
2019 31 October
until
10 November 		Resist! Resist! Hope Street Hotel Over 20 events including:
  • An Evening with Travis Alabanza at Blackburne House, Keith Haring x Amy Lamé at Tate Liverpool, Sex Education by Harry Clayton-Wright, Nightclubbing by Rachael Young, Joan by Lucy J Skilbeck, Retro(per)spective by Split Britches, Strange Lands and How to Survive - Mandy Romero, The Gloop Show by Oozing Gloop, Stars by Mojisola Adebayo, Bona Pop - Created by DuoVision at The Gallery (Liverpool), Who Are We? - Xavier Velastín & Virág Pázmány. Commissioned by Homotopia, Pansy Boy - Paul Harfleet at St Helens Library, Queercentric Music Night (Collaboration with Liverpool Queer Collective), Queer Arts North at Homotopia (Collaboration with Curious Arts)
 [30]
2018 2 November
until
1 December 		I Will Survive Hinterlands Over 30 events including:
  • John Waters: This Filthy World at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, The Ginger Snapped: Jinkx Monsoon & Major Scales, Burgerz by Travis Alabanza, Fat Blokes by Scottee, 2018: Where Are All The Lesbians? produced by Liverpool Queer Collective, Rent Party, Hip Hip I'm Gay, Mop The House: A Short Guide to Vogue, Wake Up Together: Ren Hang (UK Premiere) and Robin Hammond's Where Love Is Illegal at the Open Eye Gallery
 [31]
2017 26 October
until
25 November 		Liberation 50 Double Tree Hotel Over 50 events including:
  • The Vaudevillians: Jinkx Monsoon & Major Scales, ICONS: Le Gateau Chocolat, Major exhibition at the Museum of Liverpool "Tales from the City" featuring a collection of tokens, clothes and ephemera charting LGBT+ history in Liverpool over the last 50 years; Coming Out: Sexuality, Gender and Identity at the Walker Art Gallery, Son of Liverpool: Gerry Potter, Medea, Written in Rage, Do You Mind If I Smoke? Memoirs of Fenella Fielding, You've Changed, Maggi Hambling: In Conversation; David Hoyle: Diamond, UK premier: Whitaker Malem Pop Artisans exhibition
 [32][33][34]
2016 October
until
November 		Forbidden Foundation for Art and Creative Technology 19 events across Liverpool including: [35][36]
2015 October
until
November 		Art = Life Camp and Furnace Over 50 events including: [37][38]
2014 23 October
until
23 November 		Miracle of Miracles Hope Street Hotel Over 30 events including: [39][40]
2013 30 October
until
25 November 		The Liverpool Dream Camp and Furnace 10-year anniversary events include: [41][42]
2012 30 October
until
25 November 		Traditional Family Values Camp and Furnace Over 20 events including: [43][44][45]
2011 1 November
until
30 November 		Cruising for Art Hope Street Hotel Over 30 events including:
  • UK Premiere: Dykeotomy, UK Premiere: Berlin-Yogyakarta: From Hitler's Terror To Human Rights Today, Cancerous Lipstick by Ben Youdan & No Narcissus by Dawn Brayford, Totally Frocked Up! An exhibition of photographs by Andy Green, World Premiere: Joseph Mercier Company – Cruising, Clubbing, Fucking, Rock Hudson: Dark and Handsome Stranger, Policing Sex Between Men: 1850 – 1971, World Premiere: Savage Style: costumes from Lily Savage's wardrobe, World Premiere: PIN UPS, 'The Male Species' Dance Trilogy, Lavender Girls, A Taste of Honey 50th Anniversary screening, Earthfall presents: At Swim, Two Boys, The Featherstonehaughs presents EDITS, In The Company of Friends 'Literary Night', Face to Face: An Audience with David Hoyle, 'Underclass Hero' featuring La John Joseph, A Hard Rain by John Bradfield & Martin Hooper, Tranny Hotel – Liverpool, Alternative Miss Liverpool, The British Guide To Showing Off, Homotopia Short Film Night at FACT, Tomboy, Live Loud & Proud, Youth Film Night at FACT, An Audience with April Ashley
 [46]
2010 1 November
until
30 November 		Love Conquers All Over 50 events including:
  • Mother/Son by Jeffrey Solomon, Factory Floor - evening of new work by Clare Duffy, Abi Lake, Louie Jenkins and Carrie Whittaker, Caroline Wilson and Emily Underwood-Lee, Guillermo Gómez-Peña & La Pocha Nostra: Corpo Ilicito, Richard Haynes: Listen to My Secret Fetish, UK Premiere: Giselle, or I'm Too Horny To Be A Prince, Crotch by Keith Hennessey, The Factory, Manmade, Lavender Club, Call My Puff with David Hoyle, Doreen Kum Kwik, Margi Clarke. Compered by Terry Titter, Planet Young – Gerry Potter & Jay Bernard, Stella Duffy - Reading from her new historical novel Theodora; actress, empress, whore, Afternoon Tea With Armistead Maupin, Gay Thursday: In Lust A Presentation by the Centre of Cultural Confusion, Getting Your Work Published with Gerry Potter, Stella Duffy, Jay Bernard and Claire Campbell, World Premiere of Pink: Past & Present - Documentary of Liverpool's LGBT heritage, The Powerhouse of Supermen: Does gay culture exclude 'otherness'?, Midnight Mass: Peaches Christ presents International Premiere of 'All About Evil', Queering The Portrait, Right To Love – Youth social justice and anti hate-crime campaign, including Project Triangle, Big Gay Kiss exhibition, Sex, Drags, Rock’n’Roll; Big Gay Prom, Big Gay Night In
 [47]
2009 1 November
until
30 November 		Homotopia Not Homophobia Over 30 events including:
  • Girls Go Down - lesbian evening of pop, electro, retro, indie, 1980s, 1990s and 2000s, My Turkish Delight By Stan Jones & Sarah Atkins-Navas, Insight Photography My World, My Story; Extraordinary Drawings by New York's Laurie Lipton, Chris Von Steiner exhibition, Memories of Yankel Feather, Project Triangle - a unique arts & social justice initiative whereby 12 young people travelled to Auschwitz and Warsaw, Truant Company presents Caretakers by Billy Cowan, Sarah Waters: In Conversation, Lau your Luppers on the Strillers Bona: The rise and fall of Polari – lecture on the secret language of gay men, Charlotte Mendelson & Joanna Briscoe, Clare Summerskill: In No Particular Order!, Lavender Girls with Rosie Wilby, Jane Townend (both Nivea Funny Women finalists) Emma Bowley and local newcomer Norma KC; UK Premiere: The Invisible Death of Michael - short film on homophobic murder of Michael Causer, Liverpool Is Burning, The Grand Vogue Ball (The Movie); Pere Faura, Striptease; Music in the afternoon with Steve McFarlane, Little Boy Written by Tommy Kearney, Directed by Steve Miller; Gay Sunday at FACT Cinema
 [48]
2008 1 November
until
30 November 		From Liverpool With Love Hope Street Hotel Over 50 events including: [49]
2007 1 November
until
19 November 		All Things Bright and Beautiful Hope Street Hotel Over 70 events including: [50][51]
2006 26 October
until
18 November 		A Queer New World Over 70 events including:
  • Launch of Queercore, Liverpool Lesbian & Gay Film Festival - over 30 screenings across the city, Nigel Charnock and Company, Fierce and Quarantine, Bare Bones - dance company performance, A new work by theatre company Truant, The Lavender Club - comedy, music and stand up, Super club Federation party night, Special appearance by Wimfest, Special event with Holocaust survivor Janni Kowalski, Our Story Liverpool - Liverpool LGBT archive, Announcement of new media sponsors Gay Times, Q-Soft and Gaydar, Out North West and Real Liverpool
 [52][53][54]
2005 31 October
until
12 November 		There's no place like Homotopia Alma De Cuba Over 50 events including:
  • Special retrospective exhibition by the Liverpool born artist TRADEMARK, Performance of 'From Scottie Road to Harvard' by Chloe Poems at Unity Theatre, Liverpool; The Lavender Club - featuring local, national and international artists; 'Lavender All at Sea' special event aboard Britain's only touring theatre ship the SS Carroldo, which features the award-winning play ‘Laramie Project’, an American story about the murder of Matthew Shepard which became a worldwide symbol of intolerance; Series of educational and topical events, collaborating with international artists Tim Miller and Bridge Markland; 'Tales from Yester-Queer', 'Queer Conversations' with guests from politics, literature and theatre including Peter Tatchell interview; Special all female production of 'Entartete Muzik' to celebrate lesbian and gay music during Nazi Germany, The Liverpool Lesbian & Gay Film Festival - over 20 film screenings including ‘What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?’, UK premieres of 'Straight Jacket' and the German documentary ‘Men Heroes and Gay Nazis’; 'Queen's Jewels' in association with Black History Month
 [55]
2004 1 November
until
11 November 		Pilot Festival
  • "Gayzin' Liverpool" – documentary by local film-maker Sandi Hughes, 'It's A Drag' - exhibition documenting the lives of club performers and drag artists in Liverpool's gay scene, Hello Sailor exhibition - major collaboration of gay and lesbian artists including Sadie Lee, Trademark© and Holly Johnson (Frankie Goes To Hollywood); 'Tales From Yester-Queer' – audio archive of Liverpool's lesbian and gay past, Premiere of the Liverpool Lesbian and Gay Film Festival - 12 film screenings, workshops and master-classes featuring lesbian and gay filmmakers at various venues including the FACT, Unity Theatre, Liverpool University and The Stanley Theatre; The Lavender Club - Comedy, music and poetry with Lady Sian, Chloe Poems and Terry Kilkelly; Performance of Bent (play), Stepford - Performance by Lady Sian
 [56][57]

Gallery

Global impact of the festival

Stockholm's Kulturhuset cultural centre, host venue to Tom of Finland exhibition (Homotopia 2012)

Over the years, the Homotopia festival has forged links with groups and organisations around the world and its international work includes the following...

References

  1. ^ "Homotopia". Arts Council England. Archived from the original on 9 January 2013. Retrieved 20 June 2012.
  2. ^ "Homotopia 2007 – Opens November 1st". ArtinLiverpool.com. 24 October 2007. Retrieved 20 June 2012.
  3. ^ "Liverpool Homotopia Festival 2023". Gay Out. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  4. ^ Louise Sardais. "Liverpool > Capital of Culture > Events > Homotopia". BBC Liverpool. Retrieved 20 June 2012.
  5. ^ "Drag queens launch gayfest". Liverpool Daily Post. Retrieved 20 June 2012.
  6. ^ "City hosts first Homotopia festival". Southport Reporter. Retrieved 20 June 2012.
  7. ^ "Record Audience for Homotopia". liverpool08.com. Retrieved 20 June 2012.
  8. ^ "Homotopia festival to double in size". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 20 June 2012.
  9. ^ "Queer Conversation". BBC Liverpool. Retrieved 20 June 2012.
  10. ^ Christopher Brown. "Success for Homotopia". Metro.co.uk. Retrieved 20 June 2012.
  11. ^ Andy Green. "New high at Homotopia; Out & About". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 20 June 2012.
  12. ^ "Homotopia: Tom's Coming Home/Istanbul". Homotopia. Retrieved 20 June 2012.
  13. ^ Staff Writer (10 March 2010). "Ian McKellen backs Liverpool anti-homophobia effort". Pink News. Retrieved 20 June 2012.
  14. ^ Staff Writer (7 December 2010). "Homotopia and The Pansy Project go to Istanbul". Pink News. Retrieved 20 June 2012.
  15. ^ Catherine Jones. "Liverpool's Homotopia arts organisation takes Tom of Finland home for Turku's Capital of Culture". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 20 June 2012.
  16. ^ Andy Green. "Out & About". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 20 June 2012.
  17. ^ Natalie Woolman. "LGBT group succeeds in challenge against ACE funding decision". The Stage. Retrieved 20 June 2012.
  18. ^ "NOW RECRUITING: CHAIR AND TRUSTEE for the UK's longest running LGBTQIA arts and cultural festival". Homotopia Festival. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  19. ^ "HOMOTOPIA". Companies House. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  20. ^ "Staff". Homotopia Festival. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  21. ^ "Homotopia Festival 2022 Launch Party". homotopia.net. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  22. ^ "Homotopia Festival 2022". Culture Liverpool. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  23. ^ "Homotopia Liverpool 2022: Full event guide". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  24. ^ Danni King. "Homotopia Festival 2021: Full guide to this year's event". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
  25. ^ Vicky Andrews. "Coming Out - Homotopia 2021 will be 'loud, proud and extra fabulous'". Confidentials Liverpool. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
  26. ^ The Guide Liverpool. "Homotopia! is coming out as the festival returns for 2021". The Guide Liverpool. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
  27. ^ Eleanor Noyce. "Homotopia has just announced their 2021 lineup including Jade Anouka, Rosie Jones and Tabby Lamb". Diva Magazine. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
  28. ^ Homotopia Festival. "Homotopia Festival 2020 Round-Up". Homotopia. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  29. ^ Uncover Liverpool. "Homotopia 2020". Uncover Liverpool. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  30. ^ "Homotopia 2019 marks 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots". 2 September 2019.
  31. ^ Culture Liverpool. "Full programme announced for Homotopia". Culture Liverpool. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
  32. ^ Potter, Gerry (28 October 2017). "While my mother grieved, noisy, bawdy Liverpool was my missing parent". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 May 2018.
  33. ^ homotopiafestival (6 November 2017), "Do You Mind If I Smoke…?" Memoirs of Fenella Fielding, retrieved 23 May 2018
  34. ^ homotopiafestival (13 November 2017), Maggi Hambling, In Conversation, retrieved 23 May 2018
  35. ^ Catherine Jones. "9 things that make this year's Homotopia one of Liverpool's most radical festivals". Retrieved 27 June 2021.
  36. ^ Attitude Magazine. "Homotopia - Liverpool's gay arts and culture festival is back". Retrieved 27 June 2021.
  37. ^ Kirsty McHale. "Art = Life: Homotopia 2015 line-up revealed". Retrieved 27 June 2021.
  38. ^ Kate Pasola. "Liverpool Homotopia 2015: Preview". Retrieved 27 June 2021.
  39. ^ Artlyst. "Homotopia Announces Events Line Up For 2014 Liverpool Festival". Retrieved 27 June 2021.
  40. ^ Attitude Magazine. "Homotopia festival 2014 lineup revealed". Retrieved 27 June 2021.
  41. ^ Confidentials Liverpool. "Homotopia 2013 - full listings". Retrieved 27 June 2021.
  42. ^ Sinead Nunes. "Big Name Line-up for Homotopia's 10th Birthday Bash". Retrieved 27 June 2021.
  43. ^ Liverpool Express. "Homotopia back for 2012". Retrieved 27 June 2021.
  44. ^ Michael Langan. "Homotopia Festival 2012". Retrieved 27 June 2021.
  45. ^ Pink News. "Liverpool: LGBT arts festival gets underway". Retrieved 27 June 2021.
  46. ^ "Homotopia 2011 festival listings". Homotopia. Retrieved 21 June 2012.
  47. ^ "Homotopia's seventh sizzling year". ArtinLiverpool.com. 24 October 2010. Retrieved 21 June 2012.
  48. ^ "Homotopia 2009". ArtinLiverpool.com. 28 October 2009. Retrieved 21 June 2012.
  49. ^ "LIVERPOOL'S GAY FESTIVAL HAS VERVE AND VOGUE". ArtinLiverpool.com. 29 October 2008. Retrieved 21 June 2012.
  50. ^ Caroline Innes. "Queer Culture Festival aims to highlight city's life of variety". Liverpool Daily Post. Retrieved 21 June 2012.
  51. ^ Simon Moffatt. "Liverpool's Homotopia". BBC Liverpool. Retrieved 21 June 2012.
  52. ^ Catherine Jones. "HAPPY GAYS ARE HERE AGAIN; Homotopia festival will be biggest ever". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 21 June 2012.
  53. ^ "Hundreds celebrate queer culture". liverpool08.com. Retrieved 21 June 2012.
  54. ^ "HOMOTOPIA BEGINS". Southport Reporter. Retrieved 21 June 2012.
  55. ^ "Homotopia Festival 2". BBC Liverpool. Retrieved 21 June 2012.
  56. ^ Andy Green. "Out & About: All hail to Homotopia". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 21 June 2012.
  57. ^ Catherine Jones. "HOLLY'S BACKING OUR GAY FESTIVAL". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 21 June 2012.
  58. ^ Andy Green. "Out & About". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 18 June 2012.
  59. ^ "Home / Calendar / Tom of Finland". Kulturhuset. Retrieved 1 June 2012.
  60. ^ "IDAHO UK: Liverpool". Archived from the original on 2 August 2012. Retrieved 1 June 2012.
  61. ^ "Kulturhuset Stockholm presents: Tom of Finland Retrospective". Tom of Finland Foundation. Retrieved 1 June 2012.
  62. ^ "Liverpool opens Tranny Hotel for Europe-wide arts festival". Creative Times. Archived from the original on 6 September 2012. Retrieved 1 June 2012.
  63. ^ Staff Writer (7 December 2010). "Homotopia and The Pansy Project go to Istanbul". Pink News. Retrieved 1 June 2012.
  64. ^ Emma Marvin. "'First Prominent Polish campaigner is Homotopia's special guest". PinkPaper.com. Archived from the original on 13 July 2012. Retrieved 1 June 2012.
  65. ^ "Homotopia HMD Pink & Black Triangle Wreath Laying Ceremony". Seen Mag. Archived from the original on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 1 June 2012.

External links

LGBT topics in the United Kingdom
Categories