BACKLASH: A Queer Cultural State of the Nation

BACKLASH: A Queer Cultural State of the Nation

Weds 18th March 2026 | Cambridge Junction

Curious Arts, Marlborough Productions & Fatt Projects present a day of research, panels, workshops, training and conversation for the UK cultural sector launching the findings of the LGBTQIA+ Cultural Barometer’s current research into experiences of anti-lgbtq+ backlash.

This day will be an essential opportunity to hear the findings from our research with over 100 participant individuals and/or organisations working in the cultural sector on their experiences of backlash, with speakers from a range of organisations and individual practices. The programme will also include tips and best practice on how to manage and mitigate potential backlash, and invite us consider the ways that we might start to counter this as a sector.

RUNNING ORDER & OUTLINE PROGRAMME

10:30 - 11:00: Arrivals. tea & coffee available on arrival. 11:00 - 11:45: Welcome and launch Welcome address, launching the Backlash report sharing findings from the LGBTQIA+ Cultural Barometer Research, time for questions.

11:45-11:55: Spotlight on StoryhouseShort case study on dealing with recent experiences of backlash, protest, and political challenge from Annabel Turpin, Chief Executive at Storyhouse.

11:55-12:50: Panel Discussion: Allyship and ActionTravis Alabanza (Artist & Author), Sue John (Co-Director of Glasgow Women’s Library), and Claudia West (Cambridge Director for Arts Council, England) will discuss experiences of backlash and how they’ve dealt with it. The Panel will be chaired by Lara Ratnaraja.

12:50: Spotlight on Cambridge is Chopped
Short presentation from Guillotina, ‘Cambridge’s only Black drag performer’ and founder of ‘Cambridge is Chopped’, a newly formed grass-roots movement focusing on improving the quality of life for QIPOC individuals who live, study, and work in Cambridge.

13:00 - 13:45: Lunch 13:45 - 14:15: Building a Backlash Toolkit
Introduction and overview introducing how to build a skeleton strategy to prepare for and deal with backlash thinking about care, wellbeing, identifying risk, managing stakeholders, and planning for if the sh*t hits the fan.

14:15 - 14:45: Toolkit Round Tables DiscussionsIn this session attendees will be able to choose one of four round table sessions each addressing a different area of toolkit building in more details, including: artist and staff wellbeing, backlash comms, stakeholder and partnership management, and artistic production (making the work).

14:45 - 15:00: BREAK

15:00-15:15: Resilience Building Wellbeing practitioner and director of the Artist Wellbeing Company Lou Platt will share a short practical exercise for how to manage and respond with clarity in a moment of crisis.

15:15-15:40: Queer Mehndi Night Creative Action

Founder of Queer Mehndi Night and facilitator Natasha Taheem will lead a short creative exercise inviting attendees to reflect on the day’s programme inspired by her practice running Queer Mehndi Nights, a creative social event for LGBTQIA+ South Asian communities in Birmingham.

15:40-16:00: Next Steps & Call to Action

The day concludes with a wrap-up, considerations of how we take the day’s learning forward, and a call to action.

WHO IS THIS DAY FOR?
This day is aimed a creative decision-makers working; artistic directors, policy makers, board members, funders, programmers, producers, artists, researchers, and academics. It's for people who make decisions about what to fund, what to programme, and what to make, and people who are working out the strategy for what happens next, be that locally, organisationally, individually, or nationally.

Prices are tiered based on scale and size of the organisation, a limited number of bursaries will be available for freelancers to attend the event. If paying to attend is a barrier to your participation please email research@curiousarts.org.uk and we'll see how we can support you to be there.

ACCESSIBILTY INFORMATION:
We have introduced the following access provisions for the event:

• All event spaces at Cambridge Junction have step-free access.
• The day’s programme will be live captioned apart from the Tool Box Table Discussions (where the event will break into smaller sessions).
• A quiet space will be available on site for anyone who needs it to use during the day.
• We recognise the day will include emotionally sensitive subject matter. As such, a wellbeing support worker will be available throughout the day for anyone who might need it throughout the day.
  Additional access budget is available to support anyone attending.

Additional access budget is available to support the needs of anyone attending. If you need any support which hasn’t been listed above or or wish to discuss your access needs further please contact research@curiousarts.org.uk and we’ll get back to you asap.

WHAT IS THE LGBTQIA+ CULTURAL BAROMETER?
The LGBTQIA+ Cultural Barometer is a research project aiming to measure, understand and articulate the current climate surrounding LGBTQIA+ cultural programming and creatives in the UK.

The project has consulted with independent LGBTQIA+ cultural practitioners, LGBTQIA+ led cultural organisations, and policy/decision-makers (eg. programmers, producers, curators, directors, board-members) from cultural organisations who programme/develop/curate/present/research LGBTQIA+ creative/cultural events to measure and articulate the current atmosphere surrounding LGBTQIA+ cultural programming and creatives in the UK (including, but not limited to, cultural backlash targeting trans-focused cultural activity & creatives, and targeting LGBTQIA+ cultural activity aimed at families and/or young audiences).

The LGBTQIA+ Cultural Barometer aims to understand the pressures and impact of this across a range of factors, and bring the wider cultural sector together to consider ways to respond to and counter the findings.

PROJECT CREDITS:

We have been hearing from an increasing number of artists, organisations, and venues who are experiencing anti-LGBTQIA+ backlash ranging from hateful comments on social media to in person protests, event cancellation, and even threats against the safety of artists, staff, and audiences. It is our belief that these experiences pose a genuine risk to LGBTQIA+ culture in the UK, impacting us emotionally, physically, financially, and professionally.

The project is being led by Curious Arts in partnership with Marlborough Productions and Fatt Projects. Our intention is to understand the experiences, pressures and impact of backlash, publish a report sharing the findings of this research, and to bring together the wider cultural sector together to consider ways to respond to the findings of the report in 2026.

PROJECT CREDITS:

Project Leads: Curious Arts, Marlborough Production & Fatt Projects.
Project Researcher: Chloe Turner.

National Partners: Homotopia, Story House, Cambridge Junction

Curious support Partners BALTIC, Northern Stage & North East Museums

Supported by Arts Council England