Welcoming LGBTQ+ Audiences

Within the arts, culture, and heritage sectors, it can be easy to assume your venue is welcoming to people who are lesbian, gay, bi, transgender, or queer + (LGBTQ+) . After all, you’ve most likely never done anything deliberately to exclude LGBTQ+ people. But accessibility is not only about physical restrictions to entry. It is a mind-set or an attitude: a strong belief that everyone is welcome in your venue, and so you need to make them feel that way. And in order to truly deliver this, if you are not LGBTQ+ yourself, you really need to dig deeper and imagine what would be welcome and open to someone who is.

Download our toolkit to examine some of the barriers that LGBTQ+ people face, particularly in Northern Ireland, and find out what practical steps you can take to ensure people feel welcomed in your venue.

Finally, we have a checklist of things to consider when reaching out to LGBTQ+ audiences. It’s not a comprehensive list, and you don’t need to do every single one of these activities, but hopefully it will help get you thinking and walking in this audience’s shoes.

This resource was put together in collaboration with Outburst Arts, the queer arts festival and development initiative in Belfast. We’re keen to improve and expand the resource, so please get in touch with any thoughts you have.