From a country that once imprisoned Oscar Wilde for committing the supposed crime of the “love that dared not speak its name”, and tried to ban the open discussion of homosexuality in public schools with Thatcherite initiative Clause 28, the United Kingdom has slowly but surely been working its way towards becoming one of the most inclusive nations in the European Community when it comes to gay tolerance and the provision of gay rights.
The pending introduction of Britain’s first ever marriage Civil Union Bill coming into play in December 2005 is proof positive of the changes that have occurred in modern England.
Not surprisingly, one of the forums most responsible for promoting and broadening the ever growing gay rights agenda is that of the arts, and with that, the upcoming 2005 Liverpool Homotopia.
In Homotopia, the varied artistic and culural contributions of the global community in the global arts forum are once again coming into the international spotlight.
From a gay arts scene once best known for giving birth to the ’80s super band Frankie Goes To Hollywood and the scathingly witty Lily Savage, the city of Liverpool is now assuming its rightful place as one of the epicentres of art and culture on the global stage. Standing true to its successful bid to be the European Capital Of Culture under the helm of erstwhile queer favourite Robyn Archer, the city of Liverpool kicks off its second Homotopia festival on 2 November.
When the Homotopia festival had its debut in 2004, festival co-coordinator Gary Everett stated that “The City is experiencing one of the most exciting chapters in its history, and I hope that this event will unleash the creative energies.”
Likewise, Liverpool City Council leader, Councillor Mike Storey commented that “With such pride in diverse communities and acceptance of all quarters of the community, a celebration of gay culture will provide an interesting insight for both gay and straight people of Liverpool.”
With this year’s attendance expected to far surpass its 2004 record-breaking crowd of over 3500 arts loving patrons, the 2005 Homotopia festival, with a veritable cornucopia of artistic treats on offer, will no doubt go a long way towards making Everett’s then fledgling wish seem truly prophetic.
The festival’s launch party, being held at the colourful Alma de Cuba, a converted church on Seel Street, will bring together many of the international performers and artists involved in this much anticipated fortnight-long festival for a celebration of gay culture and glorious artistic extravaganzas.
The 2005 Homotpia Festival, with its all inclusive program, quite literally has something for everyone.
Film buffs can enjoy the a mixture of classic cinema along with contemporary examples of queer film at its finest as the Liverpool Lesbian & Gay Film Festival will return for its second year, as part of the wider festival, showcasing over 20 screenings at venues such as FACT and the Philharmonic Hall.
Featured films include the queer classic Whatever Happened To Baby Jane, showcasing Bette Davis and Joan Crawford at their camp best, as well as the UK premieres of Straight Jacket and German documentary Men, Heroes and Gay Nazis, to name but a few.
Theatre lovers will experience the Liverpool premiere of Hope Theatre Company’s acclaimed play The Laramie Project by Moises Kaufman and members of the Techtonic Theatre Project. The savage beating and subsequent death in 1997 of American teenager Matthew Shepard as a result of a gay hate crime shocked not only America, with the repercussions of this brutal crime being felt around the world bringing to a global forum the realities of homophobia and the dangers of ignorance.
A retrospective of the work of world-renowned Liverpool born artist TRADEMARK is another festival highlight. The artist’s “distinctive pop art style transformed the previously predictable pink press with an unmistakeable graphic blueprint, drawing on influences from Richard Bernstein, Warhol, Edward Bell, punk graphics and Soviet propaganda”. This retrospective exhibition of paintings entitled fly celebrates two decades of the artist’s work in a glorious spectacle of sight and sound never before seen in its entirety on English shores.
Music lovers haven’t been forgotten, and one of the festival’s most anticipated musical performances will be Amazonia Theatres Entartete Muzik:Degenerate Music – a simultaneous celebration and remembrance of a variety of musical styles (ranging from jazz to cabaret) created by homosexual Jews and Arayans prior to World War 2, which Hitler and his Third Reich worked to defame or destroy. Their survival is an important reminder of the resilience of the gay community in one of the darkest times in our community’s history.
Homotopia will also be running a series of educational and topical events, collaborating with international artists Tim Miller and Brdige Markland. A key event will be the hosting of a live interview with leading gay/human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell as part of the festival’s dedicated lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender archive project.
While singer songwriter Bob Dylan might not have been writing about the leaps and bounds made in the promotion of gay rights and greater global tolerance of the diverse global community, his now classic anthem “the times they are a changing” could indeed become the unofficial song for this years Homotopia festival.
For more information on the 2005 Homotopia Festival, CLICK HERE.
