he remarkable story of Queer Up North’s role in helping to shape queer culture in the 1990s and beyond, is set to inspire a new generation. Produced in conjunction with Manchester Histories and made possible through funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, and with additional support from the Granada Foundation, the histories of Queer Up North are being preserved, explored and celebrated through public events, exhibitions and digital resources.
Running across Manchester’s arts venues, clubs and streets from 1992 to 2010, Queer Up North brought together live performance, clubs, theatre, discussion, film and exhibitions to become one of the most pioneering and influential LGBTQ+ arts festivals in the UK and Europe.
Emerging at a pivotal moment for Manchester’s music, club and fashion scenes, when nights such as Flesh at the Haçienda were redefining the landscape, Queer Up North became an integral part of the city’s wider cultural renaissance. By championing LGBTQ+ creativity and providing a platform for underrepresented voices, Queer Up North challenged perceptions, changed attitudes and helped define a new era of queer culture. In doing so, it left a lasting mark on Manchester’s cultural identity and on the UK’s wider cultural life.
Over the past two years, the heritage project – led by its founders, Tanja Farman and Gavin Barlow –has gathered archive material, recorded oral histories and uncovered previously untold stories from 1992 to 2002, to document the festival’s extraordinary contribution to LGBTQ+ arts and culture. These rich histories are now being brought to life through a range of exhibitions, events, artistic commissions and digital resources, each offering a different perspective on the festival’s impact and legacy.
It’s Queer Up North: Saving the Show will premiere at HOME on Friday 2 October as part of the launch of the Queer Up North digital archive. The night will include a special screening of The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen on the Desert, which was first previewed at the festival in 1994, followed by a post-screening party with DJ Kath McDermott, who was a resident at Flesh in the 1990s.
Tickets can be booked here.