Full Programme Announced For Homotopia International LGBT+ Arts Festival

Organisers of the annual LGBT+ festival Homotopia have today revealed a jam-packed and eclectic programme for 2018 when the festival returns to take over the city from Friday 2 November - Saturday 1 December.

First launched in 2004, Homotopia celebrates local, national and international LGBT+ arts and culture.

Theatre, contemporary dance, visual art, music, debate, youth and community participation, heritage and film all form part of the diverse programme from one of the key cultural festivals in the region.

Highlights for this year include shows from cult legend John Waters; Ru Paul favourite Jinkx Monsoon; LGBT+ activist and performance artist Travis Alabanza; artist Scottee; and collaborative exhibition Threesome.

The month-long festival kicks off in extraordinary fashion on Fri 2 November with the Homotopia Festival Launch Party. The free event at Hinterlands will include entertainment from House of Suarez and Ashleigh Owen, as well as top DJ's to keep guests dancing until the early hours.

Theatre has a strong presence on this year's programme with something on offer for all.

Dietrich: Natural Duty the intoxicating one-(wo)man show comes to Unity Theatre on Tue 6 November direct from Edinburgh Fringe. An intoxicating mixture of theatre, cabaret and drag revealing the life of the legend Marlene Dietrich.

Get a first glimpse of Love The Life You Live, Live The Life You Love in an exclusive scratch performance at Unity Theatre on Wed 7 November.

Do not miss the immersive show Rent Party also at Unity Theatre on Wed 7 November. Winning a string of 5* reviews this part show, part party is inspired by the 1920s Harlem Renaissance rent parties.

Emerging LGBT+ artists and performers will present a collection of fresh and exciting performances at Homotopia's Emerging Talent: Scratch Night at Unity Theatre on Sat 10 November.

A sensory and immersive exploration of the world of conversion therapy and gay exorcism is brought to the Unity Theatre stage on Tue 13 - Wed 14 November in Mina, an innovative retelling of Nataly Lebouleux's award-wining film Paper Thin.

Theatre meets the fabulous world of Vogue dance culture on Thu 15 - Fri 16 November when Fittings Multimedia Arts present the UK premiere of Mop The House: A Short Guide To Vogue, at Unity Theatre.

Alabanza, one of the UK's prominent trans voices, presents Burgerz - a powerful piece of theatre exploring the way trans people are seen in society and dissected in public, coming to Hope Street Theatre on Sun 18 November.

Ru Paul's Drag race favourite Jinkx Monsson comes to The Epstein Theatre on Wed 21 November with lyrical genius Major Scales in their new tour The Ginger Snapped - a witty, biting look at the dark side of Drag fame.

One woman show Alaska from writer, poet and performer Cheryl Martin will take audiences on a funny, magical trip to the moon. One woman's extraordinary story of how she survived growing up with severe depression comes to Open Eye Gallery on Fri 23 November.

Vaudeville and cabaret are also on the Homotopia bill with a fabulous selection of variety entertainment - including a headline performance from John Waters who comes to Liverpool in his only live UK performance of the year.

The director, screenwriter, author, actor, stand-up comedian and all-round cult legend will present his one-man show - John Waters: This Filthy World at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall on Sat 10 November.

In the build-up to John Water's performance, don not miss Eat Me #10: A Commiseration of John Waters: A Life in Bad Taste on Fri 9 November - a drag dinner cabaret extravaganza filled with debauchery, deviance and depravity. Then dance late in to the night with the disco after party Preach.

Other cabaret highlights include comedy Hip, Hip I'm Gay! at Unity Theatre on Fri 9 November which follows real-life stories of 'coming out'; and Kings and Queens of The Underworld featuring all the charm and eccentricity of classic vaudeville, on Sun 25 November at Constellations.

The work of 28 artists are brought together in Gay of the Dead, the first of 5 exhibitions throughout the festival. Honouring LGBT+ lives lost to hate crime worldwide, it opens at The Black-E on Sat 3 - Sun 4 November.

Threesome, a collaborative exhibition exploring the creative relationships of three renowned lesbian painters Sadie Lee, Roxana Halls and Sarah Jane Moon is on display at The Gallery from Sun 4 November - Sun 2 December.

Two collections of works will feature at Open Eye Gallery championing every persons right and freedom to choose who they love; Where Love Is Illegal and Ren Hang will be open from Sat 17 November.

Tales From The City continues at the Museum of Liverpool, with over 200,000 visitors since its launch during last year's festival.

The festival also presents a dance double-bill! The first, Rockbottom on Wed 14 November sees successful performer Stuart Waters make his debut as an independent artist in this moving self-portrait dance solo. Then on Sat 17 November a dance show about flab, double chins and getting your kit off in public comes to Unity Theatre with Scottee: Fat Blokes.

There will also be an exciting collection of talks, workshops and participation events throughout the festival.

The creative networking event Queer Hub will return for a Homotopia Special on Sat 17 November, where participants will explore this year's festival theme I Will Survive through discussion and activities.

As Homotopia's Guest Curator for 2018, Cheryl Martin will lead the in-conversation event LGBT+ Women in Writing on Tue 20 November. Cheryl, and panelists Juno Dawson and Kerry Hudson will discuss what it takes to establish and maintain a career as a successful female writer.

Join trainer and coach Sonya Welch-Moring and artist Ria Hartley on Mon 26 November as they present a day long workshop Ancestral Constellations which explores identity and belonging.

Following on from the success of 1967: Where Are All The Lesbians? enjoy another mysterious women-centric night of interactive conversation on lesbian visibility, this time bringing the topic right up to date with 2018: Where Are All The Lesbians? on Fri 30 November.

This will be followed by the Lez Be Avin It Homotopia Special after party - a regular alternative and inclusive lesbian night at Invisible Wind Factory.

Other festival highlights include Queercentric Music Night at District on Thu 22 November. Liverpool Queer Collective present a night of sumptuous music and spoken word from LGBT+ musicians and artists.

Bring the whole family to Sefton Park Palm House on Sat 24 November for Drag Queen Story Time where storyteller The Nightbus will bring children's stories to life capturing the imagination of all.

A night of film shorts from some of the UK's most forward thinking filmmakers will be celebrated when Shorts and Sweet comes to Frederiks on Wed 28 November.

Homotopia will be supporting a World AIDS Day Vigil taking place in the Concert Room at St George's Hall on Sat 1 December; featuring speeches, poetry recitals and moments of remembrance for those who have lost their lives from HIV.

Now in it's 15th year, Homotopia returns to Liverpool from Friday 2 November - Sunday 2 December in a spectacular celebration of LGBT+ art and culture.

More info can be found on the website www.homotopia.net

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