QUEER BRITAIN: the national LGBTQ+ museum

Our co-founder and Director Emeritus, Joseph Galliano-Doig MBE has been included in the inaugural Diversity Power List (DPL) by Inclusive Companies! The DPL celebrates and spotlights people committed to the values of diversity and inclusion. From community heroes and campaigners to equality advocates and corporate allies, the list celebrates those tackling inequalities and championing diversity in all its forms. Joseph has always been a pillar of Queer Britain, his dedication to preserving and uplifting queer history is the reason our museum exists. We couldn’t be prouder of this well-deserved recognition. Congratulations, Joseph! Check out the full list here: https://lnkd.in/eGMby7je – Alt text: The image features a banner for the Diversity Power List Honours List 2024/25, highlighting Joseph Galliano-Doig MBE. The design incorporates vibrant paint splash graphics in various colours, surrounding the Diversity Power List logo. Joseph's professional portrait is framed on the right, showcasing him seated in a blazer. – #queerbritain #lgbtq #lesbian #gay #bisexual #trans #queer #DiversityPowerList #DPL

YOU ARE SAFE WITH ME 🧷 Symbols are a vital form of communication for queer people, often serving as a covert language to identify allies or members of the community. When worn as badges, these symbols signal safety and solidarity. Here are some badges from our archive, featuring some common queer symbols: Pink Triangle: An inverted pink triangle was used by Nazis to identify gay men. AIDS activist group ACT UP uses an upright pink triangle as a reclamation of the symbol and a reminder that we must not let history repeat itself. The pink triangle (both upright and inverted) has become a symbol of queer safe spaces and identity. Safety Pin: The iconic punk symbol of a safety pin can also mean 'you are safe with me'. In recent years, it has been worn by allies and LGBTQ+ people to declare that the wearer supports LGBTQ+ people and other marginalised people 🧷 Heart with an arrow: The symbol of the Terrance Higgins Trust, an AIDs/HIV charity set up in the namesake of Terrance Higgins, one of the first people to die from AIDs related illness. The Terrance Higgins heart is a symbol of support for people living with HIV ❤️ – A bright red background with four circular LGBTQ+ badges: The top left badge reads "AIDS Vigil – Civil Liberties, Human Rights & Solidarity" and features two hands holding a lit candle above a blue globe. The top right badge has a black background with a pink triangle overlaid with two yellow safety pins. The bottom left badge is black with the text "International AIDS Day 1987" encircling a white heart Terrance Higgins trust symbol. The bottom right badge reads "CSLDC Stonewall 10, 1969-1979" inside a pink triangle on a black background. Each badge represents activism and solidarity within the LGBTQ+ and HIV/AIDS movements. – Image From Queer Britain. Badges donated by Lord Michael Cashman. – #queerbritain #lgbtq #lesbian #gay #bisexual #trans #queer

It was a pleasure to host Diageo Rainbow Network last night, for a whisky tasting and tour of Queer Britain. Jennifer, our Head of Collections & Programmes (curator), gave a great talk about Una Troubridge’s sculpture of Radclyffe Hall, and Guy Burch’s Seedboxes that celebrate the lives of friends lost to HIV/AIDS – all currently on display in our main gallery. Our thanks to Diageo for continuing to support our Museum, and enabling us to Reclaim, Preserve and Inspire Queer stories 🏳️🌈 – Alt text: A group of people stands in a gallery, listening to a speaker. The speaker, positioned on the left, gestures while addressing the group. The gallery walls display various artworks, including framed photographs and a colourful textile piece as a central feature. Display cases containing documents and artefacts line the room.  – Image From Queer Britain – #queerbritain #lgbtq #lesbian #gay #bisexual #trans #queer

THE LAUNCH 🚀 We are so proud to announce The Quilt - A new podcast from Queer Britain and Aunt Nell, capturing everyday stories from LGBTQ+ people across Britain. Podcasters Tash Walker (they/she) and Adam Zmith (he/him) from Aunt Nell have journeyed around the UK, collecting stories from queer Britain. Over 8 episodes, The Quilt stitches together the voices of 21st-century LGBTQ+ people, weaving them into the fabric of British Queer History. The evening was a celebration of modern queer history from across the UK and Northern Ireland, which is beautifully brought together through the podcast. Listen now: pod.link/1777793576 – Image 1: Two people embracing warmly in a brightly lit room. Both people have brown hair and wear blue shirts with black trousers. Image 2: A person gives a speech to a room. They have short dark hair and are standing with their hands outstretched. Image 3: Two people sat together in a window sill posing for a photo, and holding hands. Its dark outside, with fairy lights in the background. Image 4: Five people posing playfully for a group photo. Image 5: Two people sit together on a window sill posing for a photo, with their arms round one another. It's dark outside, with fairy lights in the background. Image 6: Two people pose together for a photo, smiling. The person on the left wears a deep pink suit, and the person on the right wears a white blouse. Image 7: A musician performing standing on a wooden platform. They wear a green dress and brown boots and play a stringed instrument. Image 8: A large group of people posing for a group photo in a bright room. They stand in front of colourful windowpanes, smiling and celebrating. – The Quilt is an Aunt Nell production, in collaboration with Queer Britain, the UK's first and only LGBTQ+ museum, made possible thanks to a grant from Mindsets + Missions. It is hosted and produced by Tash Walker and Adam Zmith. – Images from Queer Britain – #queerbritain #lgbtq #lesbian #gay #bisexual #trans #queer

Today, 20 November, is Trans Day of Remembrance, which was founded by Gwendolyn Ann Smith in 1999 to commemorate the life and death of her friend Rita Hester, a black trans woman, who was murdered in Boston, Massachusetts. Today we remember all the trans lives lost, and all the trans people who should've got to grow up.

OPENING NIGHT ✨ We Are LGBTIQA+ ESEA exhibition opened this week with a special private view filled with speeches, performances and celebration! We are LGBTQIA+ ESEA (East and South East Asian) has opened in Gallery 3 of Queer Britain. The exhibition showcases the creative journey of our third Community Residency, in partnership with Queer China UK. Through workshops on zine-making, life drawing, nüshu, and collage, participants explored the intersections of their LGBTQIA+ and ESEA identities, resulting in a wonderful collection of artworks and stories that celebrate resilience and community. Come and engage with the stories told through these artworks: The exhibit is on display until March 3! – Alt Text: Image 1: A group of 19 residency participants smile and pose together playfully while stood in a gallery space. Multiple people are holding flower bouquets, and one person holds a leaflet. Two people in the centre put their arms together to make a heart shape. Image 2: A group of people stand in a gallery space. At the centre, a person with shoulder-length curly hair and a lanyard speaks while gesturing with one hand and holding a piece of paper in the other. Image 3: A performer in a black outfit with bright red gloves and a colourful flower crown adorned with white rabbit ears stands in a gallery space. They are holding a white balloon with a black symbol drawn on it and wearing theatrical makeup with pink eyeshadow and a red scarf around their neck. Image 4: Three residency participants stood together watching a performance with awestruck expressions. One person holds a flower bouquet while pointing at something out of frame. Image 5: Two people stand behind a DJ deck. One uses a turntable, while the other uses a laptop. Image 6: A person poses in a purple velvet blazer. Behind them is a display of exhibition leaflets. – Images from Queer Britain by Rahil Ahmad – #queerbritain #lgbtq #lesbian #gay #bisexual #trans #queer

We're hiring a Development Manager! ✨ The application deadline is 10 am Friday 29 November!

On Tuesday evening we held a reception to celebrate our Director Emeritus Joseph Galliano-Doig MBE and to meet our new Director, Andrew Given. It was an evening full of joy, inspiring speeches and excitement for the future of Queer Britain. It was wonderful to have so many of our friends with us on such a monumental evening! We extend a very special thank you to Queer Britain's Trustee Lisa Power and to Lord Michael Cashman who gave moving and heartfelt speeches on the night ❤️ Thank you to everyone who attended the evening. Here's to many more celebrations ahead! 🏳️🌈✨ – Alt text: A collection of photos capturing moments from an evening event where guests, dressed in formal suits and evening attire, smile at the camera posing together. The room has white walls softened by warm, dim lamp lighting. People stand on a stage, giving heartfelt and expressive speeches to the audience. – Photos from Queer Britain by Rahil Ahmad – #queerbritain #lgbtq #lesbian #gay #bisexual #trans #queer

We’re excited to display the art created by participants in our LGBTQ+ East Asian Residency in a Residency Showcase! Across ten sessions, participants have explored what it means to be LGBTQIA+ and ESEA (East and Southeast Asian), working with various artistic mediums, including collage, life drawing, and weaving, to express their experiences! The residency concluded with a co-curated display featuring artwork created throughout the program which will be on display in our third gallery until March! 🌈 🗓 On Display: 13 November – 2 March ✨ Private View: 13 November – The residency was held in partnership with Queer China UK. The Community Residency Programme is made possible thanks to those who donated to our Crowdfund and is supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England. – Alt Text: First Image: A life-drawing class with participants sketching a model dressed in an elegant, lacey cream dress with lace details and high heels. The model strikes a pose on a chair, gazing at the class, while the participants, seated in a semicircle, focus on their drawings. Second Image: A long table filled with people engaged in a creative workshop, with art supplies scattered across the tabletop. Participants are cutting, drawing, and glueing on colourful papers. Third Image: A group of people gathered around a large table covered with various art supplies, including markers, scissors, and colourful paper. The focus is on a person with short, dark hair and facial piercings who looks up from their artwork, holding a colourful card. Fourth Image: Participants crouch on the floor, drawing and writing together on a long sheet of white paper. – Image from Queer Britain – #queerbritain #lgbtq #lesbian #gay #bisexual #trans #queer

We are looking for an outstanding fundraising professional with a track record of securing four- and five-figure donations within at least one of the main areas of fundraising: membership, individual donors, grant-makers or corporates, to help bring the Queer Britain Museum onto its next phase. This is a full-time, hybrid role, with a salary of £34,650. Click the link below to download our full candidate information pack, with details on how to apply.