Queer Culture Festival aims to highlight city’s life of variety

Nov 3 2007 by Caroline Innes, Liverpool Daily Post

HOMOTOPIA, Liverpool’s fourth annual Queer Culture Festival, will be presenting more high-profile events this weekend as part of their three-week programme.

Audiences can enjoy a diverse and eclectic programme of international and home grown talent presenting art, theatre, music, dance, comedy, heritage, photography, debate, film and cabaret.

Just some of the highlights will include the launch, in conjunction with Liverpool Libraries and Time To Read, on Saturday, of “Gay Jackanory”.

Established authors Patrick Gale, Stella Duffy and Paul Burston join Helen Walsh, VG Lee and John Sam Jones to read from their works and encourage audiences to explore their community libraries to seek out the best in gay literature.

Homotopia, in partnership with Merseyside police and Merseyside police authority and artist Paul Harfleet are also presenting The Pansy Project. Two thousand winter pansies have been planted as part of the festival in the centre of the city beside the iconic St George’s Hall, in St John’s Gardens.

The pink and purple pansies serve as a memorial to victims of hate crime generally and in remembrance of a homophobically motivated murder in St John’s Gardens specifically.

On Sunday, people from across the city are invited to join walkers in a procession through the city.

“Walk This Way” will start at Paradise Exchange at 6pm.

Also launching is Homotopia TV – Liverpool’s first and very own Queer TV station.

Organisers have described the pilot channel as a “unique arts and community web TV channel devoted to Queer art and culture” which is to be supported by the Arts Council.

It will cover politics, art, heritage, reviews and community news.

FOR more information, visit www.homotopia.tv