The trailblazing story of Queer Up North (QUN)—one of the UK and Europe’s most influential LGBTQ+ arts festivals—is being brought back into the spotlight to inspire a new generation.
Running across Manchester’s venues, clubs, and streets from 1992 to 2010, Queer Up North was central to the city’s cultural renaissance alongside iconic club nights like Flesh at the Haçienda. Over the past two years, festival founders Tanja Farman and Gavin Barlow have spearheaded a heritage project to archive materials, record oral histories, and uncover lost stories from 1992 to 2002.
Made possible by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Manchester Histories, and the Granada Foundation, this rich history is now being celebrated through exhibitions, panel discussions, digital launches, and live performances kicking off this August – our Pride month here in Manchester.
The history of Queer Up North
Late 1980s
Founders Tanja Farman and Gavin Barlow meet while working at Manchester’s experimental arts venue, The Green Room.
1992–1993
Launched as a series of queer-focused events during the Manchester Festival under the name It’s Queer Up North—a cheeky play on the phrase “it’s grim up north” inspired by a banner at the Flesh club night.
1996
Annual festival attendance hits 40,000, establishing it as a global beacon for LGBTQ+ performance, theatre, film, and debate.
1998
The festival officially streamlines its name to Queer Up North.
Queer Up North event & exhibition schedule
To See and Be Seen by Conor Collins
Exhibition
Dates: Running until Friday, 30 October 2026
Location: HOME (Granada Foundation Galleries)
Artist Conor Collins presents a new body of work responding directly to the festival’s archive. Using painting, photography, and historical items, the exhibition explores identity, visibility, and joy while honouring the artists, organisers, and unsung heroes who built Manchester’s LGBTQ+ culture.
Generations of Love & Causing Trouble
Panel discussions
Location: Manchester Central Library
Exploring QUN’s legacy through a modern lens, two major panel discussions will bring together creative leaders to reflect on past lessons and future possibilities:
Generations of Love | Thursday, 24 September 2026
Moderator: John McGrath (Artistic Director & Chief Executive, Factory International)
Causing Trouble | Tuesday, 29 September 2026
Moderator: Cheryl Martin (Artistic Director, Red Ladder Theatre)
Queered Up Now
Young writers
Date: Wednesday, 30 September 2026
Location: Contact Theatre
Three acclaimed Manchester-based writers—Louis Glazzard, Ella Otomewo, and Okechukwu Nzelu—have been commissioned to chronicle the festival’s first decade (1992–2002). The showcase features original readings spanning poetry, fiction, and non-fiction, followed by a live panel discussion.
The Queer Up North Digital Archive Launch
Launch Date: Friday, 2 October 2026
Curated by founders Tanja Farman and Gavin Barlow with Project Manager Abigail Ward, this brand-new online resource offers free public access to QUN’s history.
What’s inside: Original posters, flyers, press clippings, and photography, alongside the analogue behind-the-scenes realities of the 1990s—faxes, site plans, letters, and press releases.
Bonus: A physical preview exhibition featuring selected physical artifacts and images is currently on display at Manchester Central Library through the end of the year.
Documentary Premiere: It’s Queer Up North: Saving the Show
Date: Friday, 2 October 2026
Location: HOME
Filmmaker Brett Chapman captures the spirit of the festival in a new documentary combining archive footage, contemporary interviews, and an era-defining soundtrack.
Launch night highlights
- Documentary premiere
- Special anniversary screening of The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (originally previewed at QUN in 1994)
- Post-screening party featuring DJ Kath McDermott (Flesh resident DJ)
To explore the full archive and discover more about upcoming events, visit queerupnorth.org.
