About This Event

What can today’s queer cultural spaces learn from Queer Up North, cultural activism and the radical past? What should we learn from the past (and did Queer Up North learn anything from the past?). Or should we disregard the archive and just make things anew? What would we want the 2026 version of Queer Up North to look like in an ideal world? The discussion will also consider the notion of cultural activism; Queer Up North in the perspective of wider activism and cultural change in the 80s and 90s – the era of AIDS, a vicious homophobic backlash and Section 28 in the UK. Full speaker biographies are available on the Manchester Histories website. Location / Address: Performance Space, Ground Floor, Manchester Central Library, St Peter's Square, Manchester, M2 5PD With thanks to National Lottery players, the Queer Up North 1992–2002 project is supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund and the Granada Foundation. #NationalLottery #HeritageFund #QueerUpNorthMCR Accessibility This event will be BSL interpreted. Manchester Central Library has step-free access and accessible facilities. You can read our Manchester Central Library Access Guide (https://manchesterhistories.co.uk/manchester-histories-hub/) for more information about getting to the venue, entering the building, facilities and what to expect during your visit. We want this event to be as accessible as possible. Please contact us before the event if you have any specific access requirements or would like to discuss how we can support your attendance. Email: info@manchesterhistories.co.uk Call: 0161 306 1982 Event Capacity Due to the popularity of this event, tickets are in high demand. If you've booked a ticket but can no longer attend, please let us know as soon as possible by emailing info@manchesterhistories.co.uk. This will allow us to offer your place to someone on our waiting list. Seating is unallocated for this event so please arrive promptly to take your seat. Photography Please note, photographs will be taken at the event, if you do not want your image to be taken please inform a member of the team. Thank you. Donations Our event is free to attend, and as a small charity we truly welcome any contribution you are able to make. Suggested donations of £3–£10 help us continue our work with local communities, create imaginative and inclusive programmes, and sustain the Manchester Histories Festival in celebrating Greater Manchester’s rich and diverse histories and heritage. Every donation, whatever the amount, makes a real difference. Thank you for supporting us. Data Gathering When registering for this event we will ask you some questions about your age, gender, ethnicity, disability and postcode. Gathering this information helps us to report back to our funders and enables us to better understand our audiences so we can ensure we reach as many people as possible now and in the future. The information is given anonymously. Sustainability Manchester Histories is committed to reducing the environmental impact of our events wherever possible. We encourage attendees to travel by public transport, or active travel where they can. Manchester Central Library is close to St Peter’s Square tram stop, several city centre bus routes, and is a short walk from Manchester's main train stations. Please bring a reusable water bottle if you have one. Water will be available at the venue, and bringing your own bottle helps us reduce single-use waste.

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