Homotopia Is Back
____________________________

LIVERPOOL, October 29, 2005  –  November 2005 is the month that Liverpool will again play host to the hugely successful Homotopia.  After launching a pilot programme in November last year.  On offer  are a wide variety of events, events including film, theatre, comedy, heritage, cabaret and art. The festival runs from October 31 to November 14.

“Homotopia is a unique event and we are all thrilled that there will be another festival,” said festival director Gary Everett.

“The festival is testament that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender artists, and the community at large, have a very real part to play in the development and delivery of a world class European Capital of Culture.”

Events will be held at a variety of venues across the city including FACT, Unity Theatre, Hope University ,Philharmonic Hall, Everyman, View Galleries, Arena Gallery, Polished T.

“Last year’s Homotopia was a surprising success, which right from the start established its own very distinctive qualities,” commented Graeme Phillips of the city’s Unity Theatre.

“Year Two’s programme will again have a wide appeal and be a riot of colour and glitter, the unexpected, the outrageous, the controversial, the challenging and the unashamedly camp.”

Originally commissioned by the Creative Communities-Liverpool Culture Company, last year’s Homotopia exceeded all expectations and enjoyed support from all sections of the community. The event attracted a diverse audience and attendance was high. On average figures were at 75% and above. In particular, group exhibition Hello Sailor, The Lavender Club, (a new space created for local artists to showcase new work) was a huge favourite as was the inaugural launch of Liverpool’s first ever lesbian and gay film festival.  Total recorded figures that attended for last year’s festival exceeded 3500.

Homotopia 2005 will be presenting over 50 events and this year will see the festival extended to run for over 2 weeks. The festival will feature a diverse and eclectic programme covering art, film, theatre, performance art, heritage, music, comedy, photography and cabaret.

There will be a variety of educational events and organisers will be collaborating with international performance artists, Tim Miller and Bridge Markland. Liverpool-born artist Trademark will be presenting a retrospective exhibition as part of the festival.

Ben Zuckhle will be documenting Liverpool’s gay individuals for a personal photographic exhibition entitled Real Lives. Veteran performance poet Chloe Poems will be returning to her native roots to present ‘From Scottie Road To Harvard’ a new show at Unity Theatre.

As part of Tales From Yester-Queer, which is a dedicated gay archive project, Homotopia will be also presenting a special live interview with leading gay/human rights campaigner, Peter Tatchell.

Homotopia will also be presenting a host of events entitled ‘Queer Conversations’ which will feature a variety of guests from politics, literature and theatre. Other highlights include all female production of ‘Entartete Muzik’ at Unity Theatre celebrating the forbidden music of lesbian & gay artists whose music was classed as degenerate and banned in Nazi Germany.

Other events already lined up include The Lavender Club (featuring local, national and international artists), award winning play ‘Laramie Project’, a bold piece of theatre, set in America which tells the story of the brutal murder of Matthew Sheppard, which became a worldwide symbol of intolerance. Liverpool singer/songwriter Jennifer John will be collaborating with Homotopia to present an evening of song and music at the closing party.

In celebration of Black History Month and Homotopia there will be a unique exhibition documenting the Black Britsh lgbt experience.  The exhibition, Queens Jewels, will present the personal histories of black gays living in the UK.  Using personal and media archive materials Queens Jewels will be shown throughout Black History Month and Homotopia.

In parallel with Homotopia is the 2nd Liverpool Lesbian & Gay Film Festival.  Key partner Matt Fox will be presenting a programme of over 20 screenings at FACT and other venues across the city.

Film screenings include A special gala screening of cult classic Whatever Happened To Baby Jane will be shown at Liverpool’s Philharmonic Hall. Other screenings include Bear Cub, Sugar and UK premieres of Straight-Jacket and German documentary film Men, Heroes and Gay Nazis.

David McAlmont , Jennifer John and Tom Lang will be appearing as part of the official closing party on Saturday November 12 at The Carling Academy.

For full details of events, visit the Homotopia website