By Molly Kerridge.
A student led arts collective are hosting an audio-visual night celebrating the LGBT history in Leicester this weekend.
Saffron and Wintergreen Arts Productions, a team comprised of DMU graduates and students, created the ‘OUTspoken!’ event to bring together the community in Leicester and help them to enjoy a night discussing LGBT history month.
Quinn Greatorex, one member of the team, said: “The event, like a lot of events we do, is mainly based around performance, a lot of music, a lot of spoken word, a lot of artistic things. It’s very much to do with playing with the space and the performance.”
“People considering coming out have to be very strong internally, and it’s great for them to find a scene and a family, and a little network that they can get involved with.”
Pride month celebrations in the DMU students’ union.The event will play host to many talented acts on Sunday (FEB24) including local Leicester musicians ‘Boarder’, a drag cabaret and the collective’s resident artist Daisy Bradford, who will be creating a live art performance.
Priya Chopra, another team member, said: “I think it will show that the Leicester LGBT community, in particular, is so open and caring and accepting, and that spaces like these and events like the ones we put on are just safe spaces, where intolerance isn’t tolerated.”
“The LGBT community has always kind of been interested in self-expression, and I think at the same time art has always been concerned with self-expression.”
Quinn continued with: “Something that a little bit obscene, and very much a consciousness thing rather than a construct of society is needed, and both the LGBT society and the arts community blur those lines and make life more variable.”
The ‘OUTspoken!’ event will be held at the Attenborough Arts Centre from 5-8pm on Sunday. Tickets to the event are £4, and £3 for concession.
For more information about the event, and the Saffron and Wintergreen Arts Productions, visit their Facebook page.
