Looking back: Superbia 2022

In 2022, our Superbia programme at Manchester Pride Festival was expertly curated by creative producer, curator and performer, Beau-Azra Scott.

 

“Superbia supports and platforms local queer artists, offering them vital paid work and a platform to showcase their projects and talents. We’re really excited to bring the events to life and celebrate the rich history, diversity and talent that Manchester has to offer.”  - Mark Fletcher, CEO at Manchester Pride

Our series of events opened with a Pride Special of Superbia Cinema at Ducie Street Warehouse on Wednesday 24th August, and showcased a series of shorts from North West based queer film-makers. Events continued throughout the week, ending on Sunday 28th August with Disabled, Queer & Hear; Drop-in Social & Show at Feel Good Club in Manchester’s Northern Quarter.

In producing the programme this year I hoped to create something that authentically celebrates, discusses and spotlights Manchester’s rich queer history and community, and most importantly: how we got to where we are now, how we move forward, together. 

The ‘Manchester Is Queer’ exhibition, for example, invites artists to directly respond to Manchester’s Queer History and Untold Orchestra's exciting new show ACT UP is a creative ode to an incredibly monumental time in our community’s history. 

To me, it felt important to create spaces of connection and community building, outside of just aspects of nightlife.

Positive representation is how we breed change: creating spaces for this is a main aim of this year’s programming. Particularly through immersive events for younger queer people such as Feel Good Fest and our Queer Kids Music Workshop. 

I wanted to bring together the plethora of Queer homegrown talent we have within our vibrant city and give platforms to people to show all aspects of their authentic selves, and choose how they do so. Giving more creative autonomy to those under-represented upon stages and especially within board-rooms. 

I am of the opinion that the vast majority of our musical and cultural landscape is born from the creative brains of intersectionally 'othered' people, therefore it is important that these people are celebrated for their tireless contributions to Manchester's legacy both behind the curtain as much as on the stage itself, as both their performative personas and their individual selves.

~ Beau-Azra Scott

About Superbia

Superbia is Manchester Pride's year-round arts and culture programme designed to support artists and performers' mental health and wellbeing through creative arts. Superbia curates, funds and promotes LGBTQ+ events throughout Greater Manchester, reducing social isolation and providing opportunities for communities to connect.

Superbia at Manchester Pride Festival is a culturally rich celebration of LGBTQ+ arts taking place over Manchester Pride weekend each August.

Often delivered in alcohol-free, accessible spaces across the city centre, Superbia is designed to celebrate Manchester's extraordinary queer talent through a diverse range of mediums.

Superbia supports and platforms local queer artists, offering them vital paid work and a platform to showcase their projects and talents. The Superbia programme is cultivated with love, acceptance and inclusivity at its core, so be sure join us again in 2023 and immerse yourself in LGBTQ+ culture!

FULL PROGRAMME

Superbia Cinema Pride Special

Curated by Joshua Hubbard, Superbia saw us host a special Pride edition of “Superbia Cinema” showcasing a series of shorts from Manchester and North West based Queer filmmakers.

Our sold-out screenings featured works from Lexy Anderson, Cal Freeman, Banksie, Stephen Isaac-Wilson, Zane Igbe and Sophie Broadgate, and we were thrilled to be joined by Zane, Banskie, Lexy and Cal for a special filmmaker Q&A!

Three Triple A's • Hold the Sausage • Isolated Canvas • Fleshback •Sweet Mother • Do You Understand What Is In Your Blood •

LGBTQ+ Kids Music Workshop

We were proud to host a fun beginner's workshop for LGBTQ+ kids over Superbia at Manchester Pride Festival, lead by Ableton certified trainer, Poppy Roberts. This class covered the basics of music production using Ableton Live software and equipment; writing beats, harmonies, melodies, effects and song-writing tips for those making music or thinking about starting!

Wowgals present a Feminising Make-Up Masterclass & Mixer

International makeup artist Patti Baston shared all her tips and tricks on how to finesse the perfect feminising makeup application at this special masterclass as part of Superbia at Manchester Pride Festival. Through Patti’s 12 year of experience as a makeup artist, she has combined her knowledge of different makeup styles to cultivate a simple and effective makeup look that can bring out the femininity in any face.

“As a Trans Woman, I understand the power that makeup can give us all. Whether you use it to alleviate dysphoria or to express yourself, I want to equip you with better tools to be able to execute a flawless look. I hope you’ll leave this class with a more comprehensive understanding of how we can enhance your features and bring out your femininity” - Patti

NoirTones present ASMR; Arts Social Music Rally & Rise-Up

At Superbia we joined NoirTones, a collective centring melanated musicianship of black origin, as they hosted a space primarily for queer, trans and intersex people of colour (QTIPoC) and advocates and allies to converse, create, connect and celebrate.

Attendees enjoyed live music and Cracking Good Food whilst creating placards and picking playlists to protest and party to at Saturday's Manchester Pride Parade. The night moved through four movements;

A - ARTISTRY//ANALYSE • S - SOCIALLY//STRATEGISE • M - MUSICALITY//MOISTURISE • R - RALLY//REVOLUTIONISE

The Untold Orchestra present ACT UP!

The Untold Orchestra presents ACT UP! is a show devised as a collaborative project with The Untold Orchestra, Beau Azra and a cast of incredible Queer talent including; Cheddar Gorgeous, Shameer Rayes & Lavender Rodriguez. This incredible sold-out show saw attendees enjoy a 40 minute musical ode to Act Up and an artistic delve into Queer Protests past and future, and proved to be a real hit over Manchester Pride Festival weekend!

Disabled, Queer & Hear; Drop-In Social & Show

Disabled, Queer and Hear hosted a wonderful social space and series of performances from Sugar Cube, George the Dragon, and House of Crip at their drop-in social & show as part of Superbia at Manchester Pride Festival.

Disabled, Queer, and Hear is a not-for-profit association focused on raising disability awareness and promoting inclusivity nationwide. The group provide a platform for queer people with disabilities to show off their skills and talent in the public arena, giving them a chance to be seen, connect with other artists, and be a part of the community.

Feel Good Fest

Feel Good Fest at Superbia hosted all-day-explosion of queer joy bringing together all corners of our wonderfully varied community, with attendees enjoying live music, talks, queer art, mixers and more!

Charlie Craggs kicked off the day with a special edition book signing of her award-winning book “To My Trans Sisters”, and Pops Roberts (of Lovescene) and DJ Paulette discussed what it is to be Queer Women in Music. Darren Pritchard, the founder of Ghetto Fabulous, talked all things Black Queer Joy alongside some special guests, and Zha Olu and Tyron Webster performed live. We found out what it is to be “Queers in Business”, and we enjoyed a plethora of queer art throughout the day - topped off by a Superbia-special-edition of Miss Chief cabaret fronted by 7-foot-drag-supermodel Banksie, alongside more incredible performers!

Fatty Acid and The Niallist present QUEERCORE - where workshop meets jam

QUEERCORE offered a packed day of workshops, jamming and performance from the cream of various scenes - those too loud for the queers and too fruity for the punks joined us to learn, scream and rejoice at this joyful celebration hosted by Fatty Acid and The Niallist!

'Aggressively Queer, radically tender – Fatty Acid is a queer arts and events collective in Manchester and Salford, and Partisan Collective’s in-house queer night.'

The Niallist is a music producer, writer and film-maker. Resident DJ at the legendary Manchester clubs Bollox and La Discotheque and the host of the monthly "Islington Mill Is Queer" podcast, he has recetnly received acclaim for his "Snog" portrait series.

Manchester Is Queer Exhibition Launch

Home to one of the largest LGBTQ+ rights protests in history, Manchester is historically a city that has been instrumental in visible Queer UK culture; from hosting one of the first Drag Balls in 1880 to the 20,000 people strong Anti Section 28 Protest; from Queer As Folk and FLESH to Sir Alan Turing.

Manchester Is Queer and we invited artists to create and present work centred around re-telling stories of forgotten Queer Manchester history, in response to archived material and their own personal experiences. We launched the exhibition with an ode to the historic Hulme Drag Balls with a 'come in your best' launch party, hosted by featured artist and Queer Manchester icon, Anna Phylactic and featuring; Finley Odin, Ruby Ramelize, Johnny Humes and Joshua Cadogan.