Manchester City Council

February 2010 Claiming our History, Celebrating our Present, Creating our Future!

LGBT History Month celebrates the lives and achievements of the LGBT community. Manchester City Council is celebrating LGBT History Month throughout February with a series of events organised by Council departments and partner organisations.

For events in the North West and nationally please go to LGBT History Month website http://www.lgbthistorymonth.org.uk/

Local events

Thursday 4th February at 13:00

Central Library Committee Room 2nd Floor.
Cathy Bolton (MLF Director) and Suzanne Batty: Will be giving a poetry reading.

Cathy and Suzanne are both founding members of Manchester's A6 Poets and recent graduates of the Sheffield Hallam Writing MA. Cathy will be launching her Ictus prize-winning pamphlet, A Fool's Height Short of Heaven. Suzanne's first full-length collection The Barking Thing is published by Bloodaxe and she was recently commissioned to write a series of poems in response the Angels of Anarchy: Women Artists and Surrealism exhibition at Manchester Art Gallery.

Saturday 6th February at 14:00

A Talk by Harry Cocks: Lecturer in Modern British History at the University of Nottingham.

The Bolton Whitmanites were a remarkable group of men who, united by their admiration of the American poet Walt Whitman, and a shared interest in socialism, also became interested in what they called 'the love of comrades'.  In the 1890s, they tried to envisage a new world without the divisions of class, and one populated by loving comrades. The Whitmanites offer us not only a lost history of socialism, but also an insight into the intense bonds between ordinary men which could develop at this time.
Venue: Working Class Movement Library Salford.

Tuesday 9th February at 19:00 to 21:00 - FREE

Queer Contact: Regie Cabico Performance Masterclass: HBO Def Comedy Jam favourite from New York City, Regie Cabico leads a masterclass for new and emerging performers. There will be a chance to develop work that may be used as part of Wednesday's Outspoken event.
Venue: Contact Theatre, Oxford Road, Manchester M15 6JA.
Contact: 0161 274 0600.
Web: For more information and to book visit the Contact Theatre

Wednesday 10th February at 18:00

Military Pride: The personal testimonies of gay military personnel.
A talk by James McSharry.
Venue: Central Library Committee Room 2nd Floor.

Wednesday 10th February at 20:00 - £6/£10 Limited FREE tickets for FreeAct Members.

Outspoken: Dominic Berry hosts a very special night of spoken word as part of Contact's celebration of  LGBT History Month 2010 - Queer Contact. Featuring Regie Cabico and more to be announced.
Venue: Contact Theatre, Oxford Road, Manchester M15 6JA.
Web: For more information and to book visit the Contact Theatre

Wednesday 10th February at 21:30 til late - FREE

Improvise: Contact's jam night with a difference as musicians, MCs, vocalists and beatboxers jam with our house band for one night only as part of LGBT History Month - Ajah UK -  and comedians, actors, poets, dancers and anyone else who is game for a laugh get involved! 
Venue: Contact Theatre, Oxford Road, Manchester M15 6JA.
Web: For more information visit the Contact Theatre

Thursday 11th February at 20:00 - £5
Certificate Advised PG

FIT: A special screening of the film adaptation of Rikki Beadle-Blair'santi-homophobia play FITbringing the story back to the venue where it was first developed as a stage play in 2007. FIT is a fast-paced youth comedy-drama set in an inner city sixth form college that follows the lives of six 17 year olds who are on their last chance A-level before getting excluded for various reasons: Dance and Drama, taught by out and proud flamboyant but-firm tutor Loris Dawes, played by writer/director, Rikki Beadle-Blair.  Through a series of plot twists, the teenagers struggle to fit in, stand out, discover their own identities and accept each other. 
Writer/director/performer/creator Rikki Beadle-Blair will also take part in a lively post-show chat back about the origins of the film. PLUS DJs in the Lounge till late.
Venue: Contact Theatre, Oxford Road, Manchester M15 6JA.
Web: For more information and to book visit the Contact Theatre

Friday 12th February at 20:00 - £6/£10

Switchflicker Record Presents: Switchflicker Records - Manchester's avant-garde record label and the brand behind the Best of Manchester award-winning Club Brenda - presents a very special night of cutting edge music featuring live bands and the Club Brenda DJs in the Lounge till late.
Venue: Contact Theatre, Oxford Road, Manchester M15 6JA.
Web: For more information and to book visit the Contact Theatre

Saturday 13th February 14:00 to 16:00 - FREE

Regie Cabico and Joey Hateley Writing and Performance Workshop: HBO Def Comedy Jam favourite from New York City, Regie Cabico joins Joey Hateley of Transaction Theatre for a writing and performance workshop for all levels. No previous experience necessary.
Venue: Contact Theatre, Oxford Road, Manchester M15 6JA.
Tel: 0161 274 0600.
Web: For more information and to book visit the Contact Theatre

Saturday 13th February at 20:00 till late -  £6/£12 Limited FREE tickets for FreeAct Members

David Hoyle: Forward into Battlein the Name of Love: Following the sell-out success of last year's alternative Valentine's extravaganza - Love For All - the inimitable David Hoyle returns with his unique take on love and its trappings. Forget the hearts and flowers and join David and guests for an anarchic alternative Valentine's cabaret. PLUS DJs in the Lounge till late. Suitable for 18+.
Venue: Contact Theatre, Oxford Road, Manchester M15 6JA.
Web: For more information and to book visit the Contact Theatre

Monday 15th February at 19:30

Bring and Share Supper: Bring and Share supper and poetry evening followed by a sacred space meditation for people of all faiths or none.
Venue: St Agnes Church, Gorton Lane, Reddish, Stockport SK5 6NX.
Contact: 0161 223 0692.

Wednesday 24th February at 18:00

"That's Gay!?" Stigmatisation and punishment of human difference in Victorian Manchester; inventing and developing stereotypes past and present.
A talk by Jeff Evans.
Venue: Central Library Committee Room 2nd Floor.

Saturday 27th February at 14:30

'LGBT Heritage Trail of the City Centre' with a visit to Manchester Archives and Local Studies, led by Jon Atkin.
Venue: Central Library.