Liverpool: LGBT arts festival gets underway
Homotopia is now underway in Liverpool and this year’s festival has a special focus on the LGBT citizens of Uganda.
The festival has returned for the ninth time with more than 35 separate events taking place across Liverpool over the next month.
An exhibition of photos taken at Uganda’s first gay pride event from earlier this year by the photographer Rachel Adams marks the start of Homotopia.
Call Me Kuchu a documentary about Ugandan gay rights activist David Kato who was murdered in 2011 is also being shown as well.
Describing this year’s festival, Homotopia Director Gary Everett said:
“Politicians and religious leaders continue to attack gay and trans peoples’ human rights at home and abroad making festivals like Homotopia ever more pertinent.
“We present this cornucopia of controversial, camp and colourful culture as a proud demonstration of the rich wealth of talent that exists within our queer family.”
Homotopia recently curated an exhibition in Stockholm that attracted over 30,000 visitors and Mr Everett was due to develop cultural partnerships in Russia but was advised against doing so by the British Consulate in St Petersburg because of its decision to pass anti-gay legislation.
Cultural institutions across Liverpool that are partnering with Homotopia this year include: the Walker Art Gallery, Open Eye Gallery, FACT, Bluecoat, Museum of Liverpool, the Capstone Theatre, Liverpool Biennial, Epstein and Unity Theatres.
