Peterborough Pride Youth Panel 2021

Working with Peterborough based LGBTQIA+ groups in the city, The kite Trust and The Q Group, we invited the young people to be part of a programming panel as part of Peterborough Pride 2021. We had a core group of keen young people attend all the sessions, with regular repeat attendees each week.

The sessions included a series of ice breaker activities, discussions around Pride and the importance of it. We worked with them to brainstorm and blue sky thinking around what they would like to see at Peterborough’s Pride, as well as practical, logistical thinking. The young people came up with their dream acts they would like on the stage, and then we worked with the young people to programme three acts as part of the day. The group were keen to support and give a platform to young and upcoming LGBTQIA+ artists within the city.

Once they had come up with their choices or artist practices such they would like to see (such as cabaret, music, poetry, comedy etc), we held a watch party showcasing a menu of the performers. The panel then selected 3 artists to perform at Peterborough Pride, Queefy, Disco Tea Party and Peterborough based act Tough Nut Theatre.

PRIDE BANNER MAKING:
Additionally we worked with queer artist Dylan Fox, who held a day long workshop with young people from The Kite Trust, and The Q group, and those who had attended the Pride youth panel, to make a series of banners to be displayed as part of the staging for Pride as well as some to be used as placards for the March. Young people worked with Dylan to come up with key messages and slogans they wanted to convey. The banners were used as part of the main stage for Pride, and as part of the march, the banners will be used for future Prides in the city.

Some of the slogans created were:

Celebrate Diversity, Don’t Segregate

Trans Acceptance in Sports 

Religious + Spiritual LGBTQ+ Acceptance 

Think Outside The Closet 

Bi Has No Sides

Let Us Walk Our Own Path

Photo credit: Jessica Lund