Nottingham Lesbian & Gay Switchboards History Project

Nottinghamshire's Rainbow Heritage

That's the title for the three-year LGBT History project which will start in 2008. The opening night of the exhibition at the View from the Top was the official launch of the project.

This exhibition was not intended to show what Nottinghamshire's Rainbow Heritage has done, its aims are to show where we are starting from and to help the process of encouraging new people to become involved.

About 100 people attended the launch night and over 400 people visited the exhibition over its 5 days. Here are some pictures.

ALL the food went.

Pink Professions

Waterstones put out a table of LGBT related books. Many people discovered the exhibition via the notices on each floor of Waterstones.

This table shows the development, but eventual failure of the Outhouse Project.

Councillor Unczur and Anna Larner.

One feature of the first evening was the presentation of three certificates. These were for individuals or organisations which have a Nottinghamshire connection and have made a contribution to the local or national LGBT community. They were awarded to:

The Laxton Holocaust Centre - for support of national remembrance of gay victims of the Holocaust, and continued support for victims of persecution. The centre has held 2 LGBT events, has a memorial plaque in its garden and hopes to do more work with the local LGBT community. The picture above shows Anna Larner accepting the award on behalf of the Holocaust Centre.

The New Foresters (Debbie received the award) - for continued support for the LGBT community, and lesbians in particular, for 50 years.

Ike Cowen - for services to the early days of gay activism. Ike started the Nottingham Campaign for Homosexual Equality group; he helped start the first gay club in the Midlands (the Pavilion Club); he was one of the first people to have useful dialogues with the police. Ike (who is 90) was unable to attend - the award was received on his behalf by Roger Hollier.

The exhibition was one of the events scheduled for this year's LGBT HIstory Month. Other events include: an LGBT Pub Quiz; a presentation on CHE in the 1970s; a performance of "The Gay Man's Guide"; a display at Central Library and an exhibition coincidentally organised by the Galleries of Justice.

Here's some more about the Exhibition ...

Sponsors for the event were Nottingham Lesbian and Gay Switchboard, Nottingham City Council, The Heritage Lottery Fund, The Co-op Community Fund and Amicus.

The large gallery at View from the Top

Some of the themes on display at the exhibition include:

The Robin Hood Legend's gay background

Pink Professions

48 A4 posters with 4 LGBT examples of each "profession"

10 Years of Nottingham Pride

Posters showing the development of Nottingham Pride from the 1997 Pink Lace event on Broad Street to the 2007 festival at the Arboretum. Further posters show pictures from all the Prides in their multicoloured diversity

Gay Old Times - a series of posters detailing people, places and events associated with LGBT Nottingham - from the Middle ages to 2007. This collection was assembled by Tony Scupham-Bilton.

Notes and Queeries - excerpts from a regular feature of QB Newsletter

Other sections of the exhibition include:

600 Famous LGBT Faces (Tuesday, Saturday and Sunday only)
Recordings of people talking about their experiences (Tuesday, Saturday and Sunday only)
The Outhouse LGBT Community Centre
Display by Waterstones of books by LGBT authors
Background music by LGBT singers and composers + the occasional gay icon!
Gay men and lesbians in the Holocaust
A Timeline of local LGBT History since 1967
The Nottingham Gay Scene - venues past and present
LGB and BME
Polari - how bona to vada your dolly old eke
Local LGBT social groups and support networks
Gay News 1972-1984
Councils and us - a rather mixed history
The Police and us - making steady progress
Homophobia: what it is, what causes it and what effects it has
How the law has affected LGBT people since the 13th century and how homosexuality is still punished in some parts of the world
Birds, bees and educated fleas - a look at homosexuality in the animal kingdom
The Community Table - pick up your Gay Guide, the Notts LGBT Directory, QB Newsletter, leaflets from local social/support groups and information on the Goods and Services Act, the Police 0800 Homophobic Incident line .........