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Hove in February. First, National Co-Chairs Sue
Sanders and Tony Fenwick said “Yes!”, then
Gscene said “Yes!”, then the Brighton Council
LGBT Worker’s Forum, Jubilee Library, Bear
Patrol, Emmaus, Lunch Positive, Disability
Arts Online, artists, poets, choirs and
Barefoot Wine said “Yes!” and I Am A Poem
turned into The B.Right.On Festival with Arts
Council England support! Needless to say, I
thanked the café owner for saying “No”!
The B.Right.On Festival and LGBT History
Month official launch (3pm, Fri 1 Feb) is at
Brighton Town Hall, followed by a VIP
reception in the Mayor’s Parlour! Later that
evening (7–9pm), is the launch of my show, I
Am A Poem, at the Jubilee Library.
We kick off in the Town Hall with a filmed
happening, Adopt-A-Pansy, poetry, voices,
artist Mandy Webb, the Hankie Quilt and
Barefoot Wine. Later in the Jubilee Library you
can see my Visual Poems, the OUT140 project
THE B.RIGHT.ON FESTIVAL
Artist and poet, Vince Laws, explains how a request for a
small gallery space for an exhibition grew into a festival!
VINCE LAWS
rather you were a prostitute than a lesbian” or
“I told my parents I was bisexual when I was
16. They said ‘go to your room‘.”
So here’s how the B.Right.On Festival
happened. I went into a café in Brighton where
I used to clean the floors and asked if I could
hold an art exhibition. The owner liked my
work but said it was too political for his
business. A friend knew someone who knew
someone at the Jubilee Library and they
offered me an exhibition in February 2013.
I’m going to paint the word ‘BANNED’ across
the main window in dripping blood. In the
foyer exhibition space there’ll be some of my
Visual Poems, and giant speech bubbles from
the OUT140 project, which tells coming-out
stories in 140 characters: “Mother said I’d
Someone asked me, “Do you want to see the
Brighton Town Hall – some lovely Old Police
Cells, and a basement fitted with shelves,
both ripe for exhibitions and performances?” I
said “Yes!” to the Atrium, the perfect place to
hang the Hankie Quilt, a memorial to those
we’ve lost and those living with HIV. I’m going
to represent the 482 HIV+ people who have
died in Brighton since 1982 with drops of red
blood, and the 1,895 people living with HIV in
Brighton today with fresh lime leaves. A
quarter of the people living with HIV don’t
know it yet – early diagnosis = longer life.
Then I asked if anyone else wanted to help me
celebrate LGBT History Month in Brighton &
with Shelly Telly, a display of BANNED books
and films (many with LGBT themes), poetry
and Hullabaloo Community Quire (other
choirs are also programming events during the
month).
There’s a Human Library, Make Them Eat
Cake and Rose Collis will guide you on the
Queer Brighton Tour (11am, Sun 3), and
perform her one-woman show, TrouserWearing Characters at Envy (5pm, Sun 3).
Later in the month poets Maria Jastrzebska,
John McCullough, Max Wallis, Trudy Howson,
Jay Walker, and Dolly Sen will perform and
host Open Mic spots. All that and How Gay is
Your Pet?
I’d like to thank everyone who has agreed to
take part so far, the response has been so
enthusiastic. I’m calling it a celebration of
Queer History Month. I don’t care what your
sexuality is, or your preferred gender, it’s a
celebration for everyone who realises everyone
is worth celebrating. As Oscar Wilde said, “You
don’t have to bat for us to admire our balls!”
If you have events planned for LGBT History
Month, let me know so I can include it in the
programme and let as many people know as
possible.
For more information, or if you want to get
involved please contact Vince Laws:
[email protected]
Also see: www.iamapoem.com