Queer Up North 1992-2002 Project

Celebrating Manchester’s LGBTQ+ Heritage.

Queer Up North Festival was one of the most pioneering and influential LGBTQ+ arts festivals in the UK and Europe. Established in 1992 by Tanja Farman and Gavin Barlow as part of the Manchester Festival, QUN quickly became a beacon for queer culture, drawing artists and audiences from across the globe. Over its first decade, the festival showcased groundbreaking performances and played a pivotal role in shaping Manchester’s identity as an inclusive and vibrant LGBTQ+ city.

Manchester Histories is thrilled to announce that Queer Up North 1992-2002: Celebrating Manchester’s LGBTQ+ Heritage has been awarded £248,500 in funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, with additional support from The Granada Foundation. This funding marks a significant milestone to preserve and celebrate the rich LGBTQ+ heritage of Manchester, England – focusing on the Queer Up North (QUN) festivals held between 1992 and 2002. 

The project will start in October 2024 and run through to late 2026; highlights include:

  • Curate and Digitise a QUN Archive: A comprehensive digital archive that preserves the festival’s legacy will be created from printed information currently in existence. This will make the archive accessible to researchers, educators, activists, and the wider community for FREE.
  • Oral Histories Collection: In-depth stories will be recorded from artists, audiences, and community members who were integral to QUN’s success and will provide a personal and profound insight into the LGBTQ+ experiences of the time. More details about this process will emerge in future media releases and online.
  • Public Engagement and Events: A series of events, talks, and creative outputs will take place in Manchester and online to celebrate the QUN festivals (1992-2002), generating greater awareness and celebration of LGBTQ+ heritage.
  • Launch a Digital Archive Platform: A new website will be the project’s living legacy, featuring images, video, audio, and interactive elements that bring the archive to life for a broad audience. 

If you wish to share your interest in the Queer Up North Project (1992-2002) or have any materials from that time, please complete the form HERE. Thank you.

Heritage logo - hands crossed with a face.