Homotopia Takeover Day

The inaugural Homotopia Takeover presents a line-up of live music, talks and provocations responding to The Holly Johnson Story.

Join us from midday to celebrate and explore LGBTQI+ heritage in Liverpool.

Hosted by Marcy Rick.

12.00 - Intro by Marcy Rick followed by Young Homotopia provocations – A cabaret piece inspired by the exhibit, with a focus on making love your goal.

12.15 - Queer Core, short presentations by Luke Fawcett, Grace Tompkins, Ollie Adebisi and Bronwyn Andrews.  

12.35 - Queer Cumbria – A performance exploring gender, drawing inspiration from Holly Johnson and the exhibition.

Break

13.30 - Don’t Relax! Culture, Protest, and Music during the AIDS Crisis. Dr Monica Pearl in conversation with Gary Needham. Veteran ACT UP activist and scholar, Dr Monica Pearl, has written extensively on HIV/AIDS literature, film, theatre, and visual art.

14.15 - Break

14.30 - Twenty Years of Homophobia/Transphobia. Artist and founder of The Pansy Project, Paul Harfleet hosts a panel reflecting on the last two decades of LGBTQ+ life in Liverpool and discusses the challenges and advancements of the fight against discrimination. Paul is joined by Ollie Adebisi, Ant Hopkins and Chris Porter.

15.15 - Break

15.30 - Tales From the Masquerade John de Tuite and the Eat Me Collective. An extract from the forthcoming musical show & Album, TFTM album written by John De Tuite and Pete Rea. The Masquerade was a small Smokey basement nightclub in the city of Liverpool Dirty and divine full of gay boys and lesbians, sex workers, drag queens, sailors and misfits. Known only to the privileged few Those that the ordinary folk of the city called Degenerates.

Venue: 
The takeover is in the lecture theatre at the Museum of Liverpool for one day only.  You can also access The Holly Johnson Story in the gallery. Museum of Liverpool will be open from 10am before the event starts at 12pm. You don’t need a ticket, and entry is free to the takeover day in the lecture theatre.

Running time 12pm - 4pm  

Age guidance: All events are suitable for people aged 14 and above, please note that the exhibition contains sensitive material and adult themes which will be discussed during the day.

Age 16-25? Sign up to Young Homotopia – a partnership project with YPAS – GYRO.

Everyone is welcome at the Homotopia Takeover Day and we can’t wait to see you there!  

Panelists:

Dr Monica Pearl – Veteran ACT UP activist and scholar, Dr Monica Pearl, has written extensively on HIV/AIDS literature, film, theatre, and visual art.

Monica B. Pearl is Senior Lecturer/Associate Professor in Twentieth Century American Literature and Film at the University of Manchester, UK. She has written extensively on AIDS representation, including her book AIDS Literature and Gay Identity: The Literature of Loss (Routledge). Her most recent publication is a short essay on the UK AIDS TV show It’s a Sin in The European Journal of Cultural Studies. A brief recent account of her experience as a member of ACT UP/New York was also published recently in Radical History Review.

Gary Needham - film and screen media at the University of Liverpool - queer, autistic, Scottish and is currently writing ‘Sex, Guys, and Videotape: American Independent Cinema and the AIDS Crisis’ and co-authoring the Queer Film Classic on ‘Buddies’ (1985)

Paul Harfleet (he/him) is a British, London based queer artist that has been making work since he graduated from an Ma in Fine Art at the Manchester School of Art in 2004. From 2004-2009 he ran an artist-led space called Apartment with fellow artist Hilary Jack. He developed The Pansy Project in 2005 and moved to London in 2009 where he continues to practice as an artist whilst earning a living as an illustrator and designer.

Ant Hopkinson (He/Him) is an award-winning charity leader and change-maker, currently serving as CEO of Sahir, a Liverpool City Region-based charity supporting people living with HIV and the wider LGBTQ+ community. Ant is a proud lived experience leader, bringing insight from his journey as a queer, autistic person living with an anxiety disorder. Passionate about equity, intersectionality, and community wellbeing, Ant has led transformational change in the third sector, grounded in his working-class northern roots and deep commitment to social justice.

Ollie Adebisi is a playwriter, Poet and Performer and Queercore Artist in 2023. Being child of Nigerian and Moroccan immigrants and shamelessly queer, neurodivergent, polyamorous and ex-Muslim, Ollie feels that representation is vital. Their writing includes prose, poetry, playwriting and screenwriting. Ollie enjoys delving into her own psychology as well as the psychology of the world around them, using their work to process their identity and perspective.

Chris Porter runs GYRO a collection of youth groups (separated by age) for young people who identify themselves as: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Trans*, or who are Questioning their sexuality or gender identity (LGBTQ+)

Queer Cumbria CIC is a space that celebrates & connects our growing queer community. We platform queer voices & talents, promote queer initiatives and help queer people find the networks & support they are looking for. We are passionate about supporting and empowering our queer community.

Eat Me boasts a high calibre alumni of talent from Liverpool and beyond, with regulars that include Pretentious Dross, Dan Chan, Thicc Van Dyke, Babs Darling, Gently Bently, Felix Mufti, Baba Yagga, The Bolly Witch, Midgitte Bardot and many many more.

The Holly Johnson Story is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund. The exhibition has been produced by Homotopia, DuoVision Arts and National Museums Liverpool, in collaboration with Holly Johnson.  Sahir House is the Community Engagement Partner.