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Homotopia (festival)

LGBTQ+ arts festival in England

Homotopia (festival)
Summary

LGBTQ+ arts festival in England

FieldValue
nameHomotopia
logoHomotopia Logo.png
imagesize240px
captionFestival logo
date
frequencyAnnually in late October and November, some activities all year
locationLiverpool, England and international
years_active
first2004
website

Template:Infobox festival. Do not use both-- 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.

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

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. 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.

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.

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.

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. 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.

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.

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

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.

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.

The board members are (as of 2023):

  • Jess Shannon (Chair)
  • Daniel Kilbride (Deputy Chair)
  • Darren Begley
  • Joan Burnett
  • Gillian Clotworthy
  • Tabitha Lamb
  • Sinéad Nunes
  • Francesca Peschier
  • Stephen Welsh

Additional staff include:

  • Alex Ferguson - Executive Director
  • Alice Holland - Festival Programmer
  • Olivia Graham - Marketing and Development Manager
  • Josiah Worth - Creative Partnerships Producer
  • Jess Gallie-Daly - Marketing Officer
  • Al Matthews - Finance Officer

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

YearDatesThemeLocation of launch partyDescriptionSources2022202120202019201820172016201520142013201220112010200920082007200620052004
1 November until 20 NovemberQueer Joy Is A ProtestTate LiverpoolNumerous events including:
28 October until 14 NovemberComing OutNumerous events including:
29 October until 15 NovemberShow Your WorkingOver 20 events including:
31 October until 10 NovemberResist! Resist!Hope Street HotelOver 20 events including:
2 November until 1 DecemberI Will SurviveHinterlandsOver 30 events including:{{cite newsauthor=Culture Liverpoolurl=https://www.cultureliverpool.co.uk/news/full-programme-announced-for-homotopiatitle=Full programme announced for Homotopiaaccess-date=27 June 2021}}
26 October until 25 NovemberLiberation 50Double Tree HotelOver 50 events including:
October until NovemberForbiddenFoundation for Art and Creative Technology19 events across Liverpool including:
October until NovemberArt = LifeCamp and FurnaceOver 50 events including:
23 October until 23 NovemberMiracle of MiraclesHope Street HotelOver 30 events including:
30 October until 25 NovemberThe Liverpool DreamCamp and Furnace10-year anniversary events include:
30 October until 25 NovemberTraditional Family ValuesCamp and FurnaceOver 20 events including:
1 November until 30 NovemberCruising for ArtHope Street HotelOver 30 events including:
1 November until 30 NovemberLove Conquers AllOver 50 events including:
1 November until 30 NovemberHomotopia Not HomophobiaOver 30 events including:
1 November until 30 NovemberFrom Liverpool With LoveHope Street HotelOver 50 events including:
1 November until 19 NovemberAll Things Bright and BeautifulHope Street HotelOver 70 events including:
26 October until 18 NovemberA Queer New WorldOver 70 events including:
31 October until 12 NovemberThere's no place like HomotopiaAlma De CubaOver 50 events including:
1 November until 11 NovemberPilot Festival

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...

  • Homotopia 2012, in association with the Finnish Consulate, developed a new human rights led project in St. Petersburg. 'Art As Social Change' chronicled the emergence of gay rights movements in the UK and Europe through photographs, testimonies and film.
  • Homotopia brought its Tom of Finland exhibition to Kulturhuset, Stockholm in June 2012.
  • In 2012, Homotopia launched the world's first IDAHO 50, a collaboration with 50 of Liverpool's leading companies, organisations and institutions to support action against Homophobia & Transphobia.
  • In 2011, Homotopia's Tom of Finland exhibition formed part of the official programme for Turku's European Capital of Culture year. It attracted a record audience of 90,000 to the Logomo space.{{cite web|url=http://www.tomoffinlandfoundation.org/foundation/Events/ev_2012_08_19_Sweden.htm
  • In November 2011, Tranny Hotel was held in Liverpool as part of the European-wide transgender arts festival. The city was one of only 11 cities in Europe to hold the event.
  • In December 2010, Homotopia produced a series of interventions, debates and research culminating with the Pansy Project in Istanbul, Turkey as part of its European Capital of Culture year. Hundreds of pansies were planted to symbolize the ongoing international struggle for LGBT rights and equality.
  • In 2009, 12 young people from Homotopia's Project Triangle went to Auschwitz and Warsaw to learn about the Holocaust. A group of young LGBTQ people from Poland's KPH travelled to Liverpool to learn from Merseyside Police, Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service and Liverpool City Council. The visit inspired a training programme for Polish police.

References

References

  1. "Homotopia". Arts Council England.
  2. (24 October 2007). "Homotopia 2007 – Opens November 1st". ArtinLiverpool.com.
  3. "Liverpool Homotopia Festival 2023". Gay Out.
  4. Louise Sardais. "Liverpool > Capital of Culture > Events > Homotopia". BBC Liverpool.
  5. "Drag queens launch gayfest". Liverpool Daily Post.
  6. "City hosts first Homotopia festival". Southport Reporter.
  7. "Record Audience for Homotopia". liverpool08.com.
  8. "Homotopia festival to double in size". Liverpool Echo.
  9. "Queer Conversation". BBC Liverpool.
  10. Christopher Brown. "Success for Homotopia". Metro.co.uk.
  11. Andy Green. "New high at Homotopia; Out & About". Liverpool Echo.
  12. "Homotopia: Tom's Coming Home/Istanbul". Homotopia.
  13. Staff Writer. (10 March 2010). "Ian McKellen backs Liverpool anti-homophobia effort". Pink News.
  14. Staff Writer. (7 December 2010). "Homotopia and The Pansy Project go to Istanbul". Pink News.
  15. Catherine Jones. "Liverpool's Homotopia arts organisation takes Tom of Finland home for Turku's Capital of Culture". Liverpool Echo.
  16. Andy Green. "Out & About". Liverpool Echo.
  17. Natalie Woolman. "LGBT group succeeds in challenge against ACE funding decision". The Stage.
  18. "NOW RECRUITING: CHAIR AND TRUSTEE for the UK's longest running LGBTQIA arts and cultural festival". Homotopia Festival.
  19. "HOMOTOPIA". Companies House.
  20. "Staff". Homotopia Festival.
  21. "Homotopia Festival 2022 Launch Party". homotopia.net.
  22. "Homotopia Festival 2022". Culture Liverpool.
  23. "Homotopia Liverpool 2022: Full event guide". Liverpool Echo.
  24. Danni King. "Homotopia Festival 2021: Full guide to this year's event". Liverpool Echo.
  25. Vicky Andrews. "Coming Out - Homotopia 2021 will be 'loud, proud and extra fabulous'". Confidentials Liverpool.
  26. The Guide Liverpool. "Homotopia! is coming out as the festival returns for 2021". The Guide Liverpool.
  27. Eleanor Noyce. "Homotopia has just announced their 2021 lineup including Jade Anouka, Rosie Jones and Tabby Lamb". Diva Magazine.
  28. Homotopia Festival. "Homotopia Festival 2020 Round-Up". Homotopia.
  29. Uncover Liverpool. "Homotopia 2020". Uncover Liverpool.
  30. (2 September 2019). "Homotopia 2019 marks 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots".
  31. Potter, Gerry. (2017-10-28). "While my mother grieved, noisy, bawdy Liverpool was my missing parent".
  32. homotopiafestival. (2017-11-06). ""Do You Mind If I Smoke…?" Memoirs of Fenella Fielding".
  33. homotopiafestival. (2017-11-13). "Maggi Hambling, In Conversation".
  34. Catherine Jones. "9 things that make this year's Homotopia one of Liverpool's most radical festivals".
  35. Attitude Magazine. "Homotopia - Liverpool's gay arts and culture festival is back".
  36. Kirsty McHale. "Art = Life: Homotopia 2015 line-up revealed".
  37. Kate Pasola. "Liverpool Homotopia 2015: Preview".
  38. Artlyst. "Homotopia Announces Events Line Up For 2014 Liverpool Festival".
  39. Attitude Magazine. "Homotopia festival 2014 lineup revealed".
  40. Confidentials Liverpool. "Homotopia 2013 - full listings".
  41. Sinead Nunes. "Big Name Line-up for Homotopia's 10th Birthday Bash".
  42. Liverpool Express. "Homotopia back for 2012".
  43. Michael Langan. "Homotopia Festival 2012".
  44. Pink News. "Liverpool: LGBT arts festival gets underway".
  45. "Homotopia 2011 festival listings". Homotopia.
  46. (24 October 2010). "Homotopia's seventh sizzling year". ArtinLiverpool.com.
  47. (28 October 2009). "Homotopia 2009". ArtinLiverpool.com.
  48. (29 October 2008). "LIVERPOOL'S GAY FESTIVAL HAS VERVE AND VOGUE". ArtinLiverpool.com.
  49. Caroline Innes. "Queer Culture Festival aims to highlight city's life of variety". Liverpool Daily Post.
  50. Simon Moffatt. "Liverpool's Homotopia". BBC Liverpool.
  51. Catherine Jones. "HAPPY GAYS ARE HERE AGAIN; Homotopia festival will be biggest ever". Liverpool Echo.
  52. "Hundreds celebrate queer culture". liverpool08.com.
  53. "HOMOTOPIA BEGINS". Southport Reporter.
  54. "Homotopia Festival 2". BBC Liverpool.
  55. Andy Green. "Out & About: All hail to Homotopia". Liverpool Echo.
  56. Catherine Jones. "HOLLY'S BACKING OUR GAY FESTIVAL". Liverpool Echo.
  57. Andy Green. "Out & About". Liverpool Echo.
  58. "Home / Calendar / Tom of Finland". Kulturhuset.
  59. "IDAHO UK: Liverpool".
  60. "Liverpool opens Tranny Hotel for Europe-wide arts festival". Creative Times.
  61. Staff Writer. (7 December 2010). "Homotopia and The Pansy Project go to Istanbul". Pink News.
  62. Emma Marvin. "'First Prominent Polish campaigner is Homotopia's special guest". PinkPaper.com.
  63. "Homotopia HMD Pink & Black Triangle Wreath Laying Ceremony". Seen Mag.
Wikipedia Source

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