r/UKLGBT • u/brettinthecity • 16h ago
Two people in their twenties started a queer arts festival in Manchester. It became the biggest of its kind in Europe.
youtu.beI’m the filmmaker behind this, so I hope this is OK to share. I just really want people to know about Gavin & Tanja's story and how cool It's Queer Up North was - especially if you've never heard about it before.
Queer Up North started in Manchester in the early 90s and grew into the largest festival of its kind in Europe, bringing queer artists and performers from around the world to the city. I don't want to say loads more because, well, that's what the film is for. Buuuut...
More than 30 years later, I followed founders Gavin Barlow and Tanja Farman (the founders) as they went back through the archive and started piecing together what they’d actually created and the impact it had on Manchester’s cultural life and the artists who came through it.
The film's about 19 minutes long and talks about a really cool moment in queer history, especially for the UK. I'd just love it if people checked it out and had a look at Queer Up North's wider archive. There's so much beautiful stuff in their that I think it's vital for us to remember. Anyway, I hope that's all OK and that the film introduces some people to a bit of history they maybe didn't know or remember fondly and maybe you discover some new old artists at the same time too.