Aspiring young musicians from the LGBTQIA+ community can take part in free weekly sessions to learn more about working in the music industry. Queer Youth Music is a free, creative meet-up for musicians and aspiring producers aged between 12 and 18 led by LGBTQIA+ arts charity Curious Arts with support from Northern Pride and Youth Music. The group meets every Tuesday evening at Newcastle’s Dance City and singer, songwriter and producer Melanie Baker and theatre maker Izaak Gledhill, help attendees explore their passion for music. Sessions cover everything from songwriting skills, jamming, working directly with professional musicians or learning what it takes to produce exciting music events and festivals, in a safe space specifically for LGBTQIA+ young people. Izaak Gledhill, Community Projects Coordinator at Curious Arts, said: “Our Queer Youth Music workshops look into everything that goes in to create the music you listen to every day - while sitting on the bus performing a music video to the rain or singing in the shower to thousands of adoring shampoo bottles. “Hit play on your playlist and come along to learn how the artists behind the headphones create it.” Ste Dunn, director of Northern Pride, said the organisation was “delighted” to be supporting Queer Youth Music. “It’s just such an inspired initiative,” he said, “and they not only attract really talented young people but they nurture and encourage them to help them achieve their full potential.” Sessions, which are free but must be booked, take place every Tuesday evening, at Dance City, Newcastle, from 5.30pm – 7.30pm with an optional jam session until 8pm. Places can be booked via Queer Youth Music Eventbrite Link More Information Melanie Baker Melanie is a music artist, singer-songwriter, musician and producer who has featured on BBC Radio 1, 2, and BBC introducing, with over a million streams on Spotify from self-releasing their own music. They are a director of a queer non-project Arts Organisation and run 'Loud and Queer' open mic nights, gigs and workshops to celebrate queer musicians and artists of all genres. Give her a listen using the Spotify link below, or head to her website to find out more. Izaak Gledhill Izaak is a queer theatre maker based in Newcastle who's work seeks to find the extraordinary within the ordinary of our every day lives. His immersive shows have been performed all over the North East. He is a facilitator and Community Project Coordinator for Curious Arts, and leads on LGBTQIA+ Youth Groups for Newcastle and Middlesbrough. Curious Arts Curious Arts is a Newcastle Gateshead based charity championing and developing Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual + arts, artists and audiences across the North East of England and beyond. Producers of award-winning Curious Festival – a celebration of LGBTQIA+ culture, Curious Arts co-ordinate queer arts network Queer Arts North and develop community-focused arts projects and events throughout the year, in partnership with cultural and community organisations from across the region. Curious Arts is committed to supporting LGBTQIA+ young people through a series of free, creative youth groups across Tyneside and Teesside. Facebook: @teamcuriousarts Instagram: @curious_arts Twitter: @CuriousArts

After the huge success of this year’s Northern Pride and UK Pride held in Newcastle, we are already starting to plan ahead for 2023. As well as being a huge celebration for the LGBTQ+ community, Pride is also an opportunity for us to recognise and vocalise the challenges that many people in our community face on a daily basis as well as making it an occasion to educate, promote understanding and give out valuable advice and support. With our existing headline sponsorship deal at an end, there is now a great opportunity for a company or organisation to become the sponsor for Pride 2023, not only showing your support for the LGBTQ+ community but also providing a fantastic platform for brand awareness and staff engagement. As our headline sponsor, you would be included on all of our digital and print collateral, and on all media releases. You would be part of our launch event and would also be presented with a range of other opportunities throughout the year to talk about the partnership. You would have a presence at the event and an opportunity to engage with our audience, with other promotional activities tailored to your requirements. Northern Pride is a huge platform and being our headline sponsor gives you an unprecedented opportunity to get in front of a highly engaged audience, as well as that of our allies and other supporters. We would welcome the opportunity to talk to you in more detail about this opportunity or to discuss how we could tailor other packages to your requirements.

North East, family-friendly event celebrating the LGBTQ+ community is planned to return to Newcastle’s Ouseburn Valley on Sunday 18 September. Ouseburn Family Pride was held for the first time in 2021 where more than 4000 attendees visited the one-day event. And now the event – sponsored by Byker-headquartered tech consultancy Opencast – will be running once again, on Sunday 18 September, with many of the Ouseburn Valley’s most popular attractions taking part. CHECK OUT THE HIGHLIGHTS OF 2021s EVENT Organisers Northern Pride – which hosted July’s highly successful UK Pride at the city’s Town Moor attended by thousands of people – is working with local venues, charities and pubs to create a range of activities, including arts, live music, drag performances and storytelling. Also taking part is Ouseburn Family Farm, a learning centre that supports adults with learning disabilities where visitors can take part in arts and crafts activities, alongside the opportunity to meet a range of animals. The Ouseburn Trust, a charity which focuses on sustainability in the Valley, is also running a range of craft workshops throughout the day which people can attend. As well as creative experiences, Ouseburn Family Pride is offering a variety of interactive performances, such as family drag shows hosted in The Cluny, an independent live music venue, which will have other performances throughout the day programmed by Generator. Elsewhere, Seven Stories, the national centre for children’s books, will be hosting book readings for a variety of ages, from children to teenagers, featuring LGBTQ+ authors from the North East. For those who want a moment to unwind, The Ship, an LGBTQ+ inclusive pub, is providing drinks, a vegan menu and a space to relax during the festival, including a dog friendly beer garden. Away from the bustle of the main festival venues, The Cumberland Arms at near-by James Place Street, is also supporting the event, where visitors can enjoy a drink from the pub’s selection of craft ales and more. There will also be plenty of activities for teenagers including voguing workshops which will be hosted by Curious Arts. Sheena Widdowfield, Opencast’s head of learning and culture, said the company was delighted to be supporting the 2022 event. “As a business, Opencast is committed to diversity and inclusion among its people, as well as in the community. Being headquartered locally in Byker, we are particularly happy to support Ouseburn Family Pride. “This is such a great family event where there’s something for people of all ages to get together in one of Newcastle’s most exciting and fast growing areas,” she added. “We’re encouraging our people to attend this brilliant family-focused celebration.” Northern Pride’s Family and Youth Engagement Officer, Nimerta Virdee who is organising the event added “The Ouseburn Valley has a real sense of community so it’s the perfect location for a family Pride event.” “After the success of our first event last year, we’re really excited to bring Northern Pride back to Ouseburn this September,” “There is so much to do this year at Ouseburn Family Pride and it is with thanks to our sponsor, Opencast that we are able to bring back the one-day event in 2022.” Ouseburn Family Pride takes place on Sunday 18 September from 12-6pm and more information on what's happening in each venue will be announced across the weeks leading up to the event on Northern Prides website and social media.

NORTHERN Pride is still celebrating, after its first in-person event in two years has been heralded a major success. The celebration, held at the weekend (22-24 July) at Newcastle Town Moor was also marking the fact that it was awarded UK Pride status, which brought in an audience not just from across the country but across the globe. Visitors from as far afield as the USA and Australia headed to the event, which included performances across the weekend from stars such as Melanie C, Louise and Joe McElderry. Saturday’s Pride March through the streets of Newcastle saw a record 25,000 people taking part, with thousands more lining the streets to cheer it on. Ste Dunn, director of Northern Pride said the response had been incredible. “We have had so much positive feedback about every aspect of the day, from the live performances which focused on local LGBTQ+ artists, to the community village zones including activities for families and health support and advice. “We’ve also received positive feedback on our accessibility efforts including our raised platform for wheelchair users and on new additions to the festival including the LGBT Northern Social Group zone. “We were delighted to also have representatives from the pride organisers community, including Kristine Garina, President of European Pride Organisers Association, Hadi Damien and Debbie Brixey, President and Vice President of Interpide, respectively. “The Pride Festival is such an important opportunity for the LGBTQ+ community to come together and celebrate, but it is also an opportunity to remember the history of Pride and the struggles that many people still face and that is why we need to continue to speak out against LGBTphobic hate crimes and violence against our community, whilst also demanding change especially for our Trans, non-binary and gender diverse community.” Ste also thanked the supporters and sponsors who have made the event possible. “Pride simply wouldn’t happen without the support of our key supporters, partners and sponsors who help us delvier the event, along with all those in the community and allies that donate, and fundraise all year round to help us keep the festival free” he said. Before the Town Moor was cleared of all the structures that made this years festival one of the biggest outdoor evenr Newcastle has seen, the Northern Pride team where already announcing plans for 2023 with the festival retuning on 22-23 July next year, with Platinum Passes on sale.

We are bringing back our community village for this year’s event with even more zones, thanks to support from Newcastle United. The event – the first in person festival since before the pandemic – will include a number of new initiatives this year, as well as all the familiar favourites. And that includes the creation of the United As One Community Village, which is being sponsored by the football club. The community village was originally created in 2019 in response to feedback from the LGBTQ+ community wanting to acknowledge some of the reasons the Pride movement began. Now, as Newcastle also celebrates being UK Pride 2022, it is set to return but bigger and better than ever before. Anyone attending Northern Pride – which runs from 22-24 July at Newcastle’s Town Moor – will also be able to get access to a range of information, services and, for the first time, a sports zone. The community village will see the health and well being zone available on Saturday 23 July, with family and youth sections returning on both days, along with a number of new and exciting offerings which will feature for the first time. Northern Pride has been working closely with Newcastle United in recent years and sponsoring the entire community village represents the club’s continued commitment. “We have been able to bring the village to another level thanks to the support from Newcastle United,” said Ste. “Inclusion in North East sport is something we have always wanted to build on and did so with events such as the 2019 finals of the Challenge Cup and the European Rugby Champions Cup, as well as supporting the LGBTQ football match that NUFC held pre-pandemic. “We have been working together more closely in recent years, culminating in the creation of the United As One Community Village this year, our first in person event since 2019. “We are massively grateful to the club for supporting us, not only in helping us make sport more inclusive for our community but also in enabling us to provide support and information on a range of important matters.” Pride has also been working with the LGBT Northern Social Group in recent times, leading to the creation within the community village of the Northern Social Group zone. This area is aimed at people who may be going to Pride on their own or are attending for the first time and those looking to escape the loud celebrations being held in the Festival Arena and on the main stage. “This will be the perfect space for those looking to start their Pride experience in a friendly, inclusive space,” said Ste Dunn, director of Northern Pride. “We’ve also been told that some people feel unsafe travelling to Pride wearing the clothes in the gender they have chosen so we have also introduced on site changing facilities which will be available all weekend for their use. “We want people to feel safe and be whoever they want to be and come to Pride and have a happy and positive experience.”

We are ensuring that this year’s event is available to everyone, after making accessibility one of our key priorities. From 22 – 24 July, Northern Pride will bring together thousands of people from the LGBTQ+ community and their allies, in a weekend of events. And as part of its pledge to ensure that everyone can attend the event at Newcastle’s Town Moor, organisers have put in place a range of measures to ensure it is a user friendly event. The charity is working closely with Nexus, operator of the Tyne and Wear Metro, – its travel and accessibility partner – to make certain that those who are coming to the event via public transport can easily do so. British Sign Language interpreters will also be in place at both stages so that anyone with hearing difficulty is able to fully enjoy the experience. Northern Pride will also be working with AccessoLoo, which provides toilet and changing facilities for disabled people, who will be bringing a high dependency unit including a hoist and special changing facilities. Noise cancelling headphones will also be available throughout the weekend for anyone who finds the sound levels troublesome or distressing, and the wheelchair-accessible raised platform will return, providing users with a prime viewing spot of the main stage. “Northern Pride is an event that should be accessible to everyone and we are taking every measure we can to make sure that’s the case,” said Ste Dunn, director of the charity. “We are very grateful to our travel and accessibility partners for their support and we are hoping that this will encourage more people than ever to come along to our first in person event since 2019.” Huw Lewis, Customer Services Director at Nexus, said: “We are proud to be the official travel and accessibility partner for this year’s UK Pride event as part of our ongoing support for the LGBTQ+ community. “Metro is a great way to get to and from Newcastle to take part in what promises to be a fantastic weekend of events, which the whole community can go along and enjoy – and don’t forget that you can now take the kids for free on Metro. “The nearest station for getting to Exhibition Park is Haymarket Metro station. All of our stations have step free access, and they all have tactile paving for people who are blind and partially sighted. “Metro is at the heart of the communities that it serves, and we are really excited to be supporting Pride, which is just one of the ways we strive to promote respect and inclusivity. “We are looking forward to welcoming every one to Metro when the festival is on, and when customers alight at Haymarket Metro station they will see our wonderfully colourful rainbow displays inside the station as you go up the escalators.” Headliners over the course of the weekend include former Spice Girl, Melanie C, Louise, Joe McElderry and Ibiza in Symphony. A large scale community village will also include a family and well being zone, sports zone and the Curious Arts stage. Alongside the full programme of entertainment, Northern Pride – which also doubles up as UK Pride 2022 this time round – will also be promoting the theme of Remember, Resist, Rise Up throughout the weekend. This year organisers have also ensured the event – which has Barclays as its headline sponsor – is also drawing heavily on the regional community and has engaged with musicians, artists and creatives.

We are pulling out all the stops to ensure that the year it is the host of UK Pride is one to remember. Following the recent announcement of an exciting line-up for the free festival, which includes a DJ set by Spice Girl Melanie C, Louise and local hero Joe McElderry, organisers have also added new names to the Friday night fund raiser event on 22 July. Along with performances from Todrick Hall, Bimini and Jodie Harsh, attendees will be able to enjoy a set from singer/songwriter Katy B and BBC Radio 1 DJ Dean McCullough. Dean McCullough is a television and radio presenter who hosts his own show every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10:30am on BBC Radio 1, and will get the Launch Party underway when gates open. Attracting 3.3m listeners to Radio 1 Dean is Attitude Magazines’ Top 10 LGBT+ ‘Broadcaster of The Year‘ and has also been nominated at the British LGBT Awards for ‘Broadcaster of The Year’. The dance-orientated electronic pop artist, Katy B, has achieved a number one top spot for her second album ‘Little Red’ and clocked up 5 UK Top 10s including hits ‘Katy on a Mission’, ‘Lights On’ and ‘Crying for No Reason’. Award winning Katy B will warm up the crowds ahead of Todrick Hall, with organisers promising a opening night to remember. Todrick Hall, who found widespread success after appearing on American Idol, and judging on tv shows including RuPaul’s Drag Race and The Greatest Dancer will be joined by RuPaul’s Drag Race UK favourite, Bimini and Northern Pride Online 2021 star DJ Jodie Harsh. While the Saturday and Sunday events which form this year’s Pride – which has Barclays as its headline sponsor - are free, the paid for Friday night helps cover some of the huge costs putting on a weekend of this size incurs, and ensures paid opportunities for the artists, performers and creatives that will help make this years event extra special. Early Bird tickets are sold out with limited first release remaining, with second release on sale soon. Ste Dunn, director of Northern Pride, hopes people will buy tickets and support the event. “Pride simply wouldn’t happen if it wasn’t for the support given to us by amazing sponsors like Barclays,” he said. “And we also hope our own community and other allies can see the importance of coming to the only paid for event of the weekend, which helps towards the cost of staging a Pride on this scale. “We’re delighted to be able to add some fantastic new names to the line up, which is going to make the launch party even more exciting.” Platinum Passes are available to purchase for Friday night and across the weekend, which includes the best view of the stage and access to a premium bar, garden and toilets. Organisers will also gift a number of tickets for Friday’s launch event to North East LGBTQ+ charities, not for profit organisations and community groups to continue its commitment to support those hardest hit in the community.

Newcastle Thunder unveils limited edition Pride kit ahead of Bradford Bulls game On Friday 8th July, ahead of Magic Weekend, Newcastle Thunder will host Bradford Bulls at Kingston Park for its latest fixture in the Betfred Championship. This year Magic Friday will support Thunder’s match-day partner Northern Pride – ahead of its 2022 Pride Festival which will mark 50 years since the first Pride march – and will be dedicated to promoting the importance of inclusivity in sport. As part of the event the Thunder first team will be donning an exclusive Pride match-kit, sponsored by Macron, for their game which kicks off at 7.45pm. Each shirt will later be signed by the player wearing it and auctioned off online. The auction is due to go live at the full-time whistle. Northern Pride will also select their man-of-the-match, who’s shirt will become part of their raffle later this year. In addition, the Club shop will have a very limited number of shirts available to purchase. Details of on sale dates will follow shortly. Speaking on the event Macron said: “Macron believes in a game where all individuals, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, can be seen, heard, and valued for their contribution to the sport. “We believe passion, dedication and perseverance should be the only determinants of one's ability to play. By standing in solidarity with initiatives of this nature, we hope to continue fostering an environment where all players feel welcome, safe, and supported in the pursuit of their goals.” As part of their sponsorship Macron will also be donating 10 hospitality places that will be up for grabs through various competitions on Pride Radio and across the Newcastle Thunder social channels in the coming weeks. As part of the event, there will be a whole host of pre- and post-match entertainment across the stadium in partnership with Pride Radio and our official after-party venue – Bobby’s Newcastle. Full lines ups and information about other activities will be announced shortly. Newcastle Thunder chairman Keith Christie said: “We’re delighted to have Macron on board as our official kit sponsor for the Magic Friday festival game. They have created this exclusive design in record time to ensure the lads have the bespoke kit in time for the game. We can’t thank them enough for their ongoing support. “The event is shaping up to be a great evening, there will be loads going on in terms of off-pitch entertainment. We’re looking forward to welcoming everyone on site.” Throughout the event there will also be a chance for attendees to get their hands on some great raffle prizes, including a host of signed merchandise and passes to the Pride Festival.

Former Spice Girl, Melanie C, Louise, Joe McElderry and a taste of Ibiza are all part of the stunning line up of top class entertainment which has been unveiled for this year’s UK Pride. After a virtual event over the past two years, Northern Pride will return this 22- 24 July as the hosts of UK Pride 2022. And along with a host of big name performances at Newcastle’s Town Moor, the event -which has Barclays as its headline sponsor - has also drawn heavily from the North East’s LGBTQ+ community. More than 90 per cent of the artists, performers, creatives and campaigners involved in this year’s weekend are from the immediate region – keeping to Northern Pride’s promise to “elevate and celebrate the North East’s LGBTQ+ community” when it won the UK Pride title four years ago. Appearing on the main stage on Saturday 23 July will be Melanie C, with a DJ set, alongside North East singer Karen Harding and former RuPaul’s Drag Race UK competitor, Choriza May. The following day the entertainment will be headlined by Louise, with attendees also being treated to performances by DJ Adele Roberts and homegrown singing star, Joe McElderry. The festival will also end with one of its most ambitious performances to date, with Ibiza in Symphony featuring DJ Michael Maddison, where a live orchestra will play a number of dance classics, supported by some of the region’s best LGBTQ+ vocalists and musicians. While UK Pride is a celebration of the community, the event will also focus on this year’s theme of Remember, Resist and Rise Up. Among the campaigners who will take to the stage are Kristine Garina, President of European Pride Organising Association, who will reflect on world events such as the war in the Ukraine and the impact this has on the LGBTQ+ community. Ste Dunn, director of Northern Pride, is delighted with the ambitious programme. “With the postponement of UK Pride during the pandemic, we are thrilled to finally be able to stage an in person event,” he said. “We have stuck to our promise to engage as many people from the North East’s LGBTQ+ community in Pride and we have an incredible level of regional involvement. “Alongside all of the great entertainment, we must never forget the true purpose of Pride and the challenges facing our community here in the UK and in other parts of the world. “We look forward to welcoming everyone to Newcastle for what we know will be a memorable event.”

Pride supporters can bank on another successful festival in the North East this summer, thanks to the continued support from a top sponsor. Northern Pride are this year’s hosts of UK Pride, which will take place at Newcastle’s Town Moor from 22 to 24 July. And organisers have more than just a packed programme of events to celebrate this year, with the news that Barclays has returned as festival sponsor. This is the fourth year that the bank has supported the Northern Pride Festival, including sponsoring its two virtual events during the pandemic. This year’s weekend will kick off with a launch party on Friday 22 July, featuring performances from Todrick Hall, Bimini Bon Boulash and Jodie Harsh, with the full weekend line-up to be announced later this week. Ian Twizell, North East Chair, Spectrum, Barclays LGBT+ Employee Resource Group, is confident this year’s festival will be one to remember. “We are thrilled to be supporting UK Pride as festival sponsor this year as part of Barclay’s ongoing support to the LGBTQ+ community,” Ian said. “Barclays has a strong track record in supporting our LGBTQ+ colleagues and customers and our Pride partnerships are just one of the ways we strive for equality, understanding, respect and inclusivity across the board. “We have worked with Northern Pride for a number of years now and seen first hand the amazing work they do across the North East and beyond so we are looking forward to another brilliant year for the event.” Ste Dunn, director of Northern Pride, is delighted to have Barclays back on board as festival sponsor. “Barclays has been a huge support to us over the last few years so it is fantastic to have them returning as festival sponsor for UK Pride,” he said. “We have some really exciting plans in place this summer and it’s partnerships like these which really allow us to create the best possible experience for the LGBTQ+ community in the region. “UK Pride really is shaping up to be one of our best events yet and we’re working with some incredibly talented local performers alongside our big name acts to really showcase the what the North East has to offer.”

The return of Newcastle Thunder’s Magic Friday will be in partnership with Northern Pride this July. The club has confirmed a festival-style event for the pre-Magic Weekend curtain-raiser to support the not-for-profit organisation in the year that Newcastle becomes the host city for UK Pride. Bradford Bulls provides the opposition for this year’s edition on Friday 8 (KO 7.45pm), where the club is aiming to set a new attendance record and eclipse the current benchmark of 6,631, set against the same opponents in May 1999. With Newcastle hosting UK Pride two weeks later between July 22 – 24 – in what is the 50th anniversary year of the first Pride march – the club wants to demonstrate its’ ongoing support for the LGBTQ+ community and continue to promote the importance of inclusivity within sport. The collaboration will see the club, Northern Pride and its other partners, including Pride Radio, work to drive awareness of not only the events but also the ongoing work being done to promote sport as a safe place for everyone. In addition, Newcastle Thunder is also supporting fundraising efforts to support Northern Pride. Northern Pride director Ste Dunn said: “We are huge fans of Newcastle Thunder, so it is amazing to have their support for Northern Pride during Magic Friday. “We all know the benefits sports can have for improving both mental and physical health, which is why it’s fantastic that the team is working so hard to make sure that the sport is inclusive and a safe space for everyone. “Magic Friday is sure to be a brilliant event and we’re so grateful to be involved, with all fundraising throughout the day going towards keeping the UK Pride weekend free for everyone to enjoy.” Taking place on Newcastle’s Town Moor, a whole host of events are planned in the run up to Northern Pride, with tens of thousands of people expected to be attracted to the city in the run up to and during the 3-day festival. Newcastle Thunder chairman Keith Christie said: “We’re delighted to be working teams from Northern Pride and Pride Radio on this year’s Magic Friday. Inclusivity is a major focus for rugby league, and for sport more generally, and, with Magic Friday taking place two weeks before UK Pride festival, we recognise this unique opportunity to further bolster awareness for Pride and continue to inform those in the sports community about the importance of creating an inclusive environment at what will hopefully be our biggest game of the season. “It’s a fantastic opportunity to work with the LGBTQ+ community and to introduce members to rugby league and Thunder for the first time. “We have some exciting plans to announce in due course and I’m sure everyone who joins us at Kingston Park will enjoy a matchday that all members of the Thunder family will be talking about for many years to come.” Tickets for this year’s Magic Friday are now on sale, priced at £15 for adults, £10 for concessions, £8 for 16-24-year-olds and £3 for Under 16s. To book, click here, call 0191 214 5588 (opt 1) or visit the Kingston Park Stadium box office.

We're looking for members of our community to feature in some promotional images for UK Pride 2022! We've teamed up with our good friends from NewcastleGateshead Initiative to help promote our Pride Festival across the UK and we want to make sure that our community is at the heart of this campaign. We're looking for families, couples, friends, even you and your dog to take part! You must be free to take part during the day on Thursday 21st or Monday 25th April. Able to travel and be in a group of no more than 4. Not only will you have your face all over our tourism campaign, but you and all those that take part with you, will get a Platinum Passes for UK Pride including our Friday Night Launch event. To apply, send a selfie to info@npride.org.uk including what date you can be free. Participants will be confirmed on Tuesday 19th. #wearenorthernpride #ukpride22 #faceofpride