Elizabeth Morris points you to some dates, places and people where you can observe the past, present and future of the LGBTQ+ movement – February being the designated month for LGBTQ history in the UK.

IRIS ON THE MOVE

This month the Iris Prize is touring eight LGBTQ+ short films across the UK, with Welsh stops including Cardiff, Swansea and Aberystwyth. Five of the short films on tour are ones which impressed audiences and judges alike at October 2022’s Iris Prize, and all of them are diverse in representing stories from all over the world.

Various locations, until Tue 7 Mar. 

Tickets: from £3. Info: here

QUEERWAY

This contemporary musical theatre show features a song cycle of LGBTQ+ favourites from Madonna to Lizzo, making a feelgood megamix to accompany the real-life stories of queer people from the Rhondda Valley. This sequin-studded show will be touring around Wales, stopping at Cardiff, Porthcawl, Porth, Merthyr and Llanelli. 

Various locations, Sat 4-Tue 14 Feb.

Tickets: from £8. Info: here

IRIS PRIZE: PINK PORTRAITS

In response to the original 2010 Pink Portraits, the Iris Prize, in partnership with Cardiff University and Ffotogallery, are commissioning 10 new portraits of LGBTQ+ people in the next generation of TV and film-makers. The original portraits will also feature within the new ones, showing the link between the LGBTQ+ pioneers and the future generation they influenced. 

Various locations across Cardiff from Tue 14 Feb.

Info: here

HWYRNOS: QUEER

This LGBTQ+ history month event commemorates this year’s theme of ‘Behind The Lens’ with an evening of films, live podcasts and performances from the likes of dance group, Querin, and Queeroke with TikTok’s Ellis Jones. There will also be stalls selling artwork and offering workshops to add even more creativity to an evening of celebration. 

National Museum Wales, Cardiff, Fri 17 Feb. 

Tickets: £10. Info: here

DREAMING UP THE PAST

Aberystwyth Arts Centre are hosting their 10th LGBTQ+ History Month event with a day of arts, film and music. The day’s itinerary includes a writing workshop, community dinner, film screening of Ysbrydion (Spirits), a talk from artist Sarah Joy-Ford, a performance of The Lost Knitters Of Tregaron and live music from harpist Cerys Hafana and friends. 

Aberystwyth Arts Centre, Sat 18 Feb.

Tickets: prices vary per event. Info: here 

CARDIFF TRANS SINGERS AND FRIENDS: A CELEBRATION

Founded in 2017, Cardiff Trans Singers provides a positive space for transgender people to enjoy singing together, and this year they’re holding their debut concert – also featuring guest choirs, Songbirds and the South Wales Gay Men’s Chorus. The performance will be raising money for Trans Aid Cymru.

St Michael & All Angels, Cardiff, Sat 25 Feb.

Tickets: from £3. Info: here

WMC: CABARET

Cabaret is a new room in the Wales Millennium Centre, repurposed from its former incarnation of Ffresh and designed to showcase the very best of drag, comedy, burlesque and live music in a setting unlike any other in Wales. With 120 seats and its own bar, this space should make for memorable performances.

Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay.

Info: here

THE QUEER EMPORIUM

The Queer Emporium started as a pop-up in 2021 but is now a permanent fixture in Cardiff’s queer community. The shop sells products from local LGBTQ+ makers who wanted to share their products while espousing independent trading and avoiding large corporations’ oft-cynical courting of the proverbial pink pound. The social enterprise also hosts events from speed dating to kinky book clubs. 

Royal Arcade, Cardiff. 

Info: here

words ELIZABETH MORRIS