Queered Up Now

A special evening celebrating Manchester's rich LGBTQ+ cultural heritage through new writing. In partnership with Queer Up North, Manchester Histories and Contact, three North West writers - Louis Glazzard, Ella Otomewo and Okechukwu Nzelu - have been commissioned to create original work inspired by the Queer Up North archive, which chronicles the festival's pioneering first decade from 1992 - 2002.

Their newly commissioned pieces will be shared for the first time, followed by a conversation exploring the creative process, the importance of preserving queer histories and how the past continues to inspire new generations of artists. Hosted by Andrew McMillan.

Louis Glazzard is a working-class writer from Yorkshire. His poems and non-fiction have been published widely, including the collection Human Men. He is currently working on his debut novel and runs Coffee and Poems Club in Manchester. Louis is also the North-West regional lead for Bookbanks.

Ella Otomewo is a poet, performer, and creative facilitator based in Manchester. She is the New Writing Producer at Cultureword and loves to collaborate with other artists to create live art, performance, and community art projects.

Okechukwu Nzelu is a novelist, freelance writer and teacher based in Manchester. His two novels, The Private Joys of Nnenna Maloney and Here Again Now won and were nominated for a range of prizes. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.

The project Queer Up North 1992-2002: Celebrating Manchester’s LGBTQ+ Heritage is supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund and The Granada Foundation.

Suitable for ages 16+.

This event will be BSL interpreted.

Essential Companion tickets are free for disabled customers who would face significant barriers to attending events without the support of another person. If you require an Essential Companion ticket, please contact boxoffice@contactmcr.com