crescent arts centre Archives

1983 – Gay Conference Comes To Belfast, what a headline. When you consider that the Good Friday Agreement was 5 years away. The ‘troubles’ were still happening all around us, and we were also 8 years away from our first Pride March in Belfast, the fact that a gay conference was held is nothing short of remarkable. This is the small article that was published in Northern Ireland’s only gay publication, which can be found in the Linen Hall Libary Political Collection on the fourth floor.

…This is a short report on the All Ireland Lesbian and Gay Men’s Conference which was held in 1983 in Belfast, at the Crescent Arts Centre and the Gay Centre. As many as 200 lesbians and gay men were expected at this 3rd annual conference.

The first conference was in Cork in 1981, and in 1982 was in Dublin. The two of them were organised by ‘independent’ lesbians and gay men and supported by national organisations that provided facilities. It was significant that only a handful of delegates from Northern Ireland were present at both conferences.

In January 1983 a planning meeting was in Belfast for the 1983 conference which was attended by many of the former committee members from 1981 and 1982. Belfast representation was limited to half a dozen men – all members of NIGRa (Northern Ireland Gay Rights Association).

The Dublin Conference had been uniquely successful in having equal numbers of women and men attending. The absence of women from this planning conference augured poorly for the future of a Belfast conference.

The afternoon session was better attended by Belfast/Derry people and a meeting was planned for a fortnight later to bring together ‘non-organisation’ lesbians and gay men in the region. Six women and six men attended, including Charles Kerrigan of the Dublin Gay Collective.

It was decided in principle, that those non-organisational people would determine the nature and organisation of the conference.

NIGRA’s role was to provide facilities, admin and any other help…

We talk about our history, but we have done little to mark it, to record it and remember it. If you wish to have your history recorded, don’t forget the LGBTQIA+ Heritage Project (link below).

Links:

Artists Galore

The joyous thing about travelling around is visiting places old and new, and in particular for me are art shows and artists galore. Each week throughout the United Kingdom and Spain, indeed Europe, exhibitions are taking place of established professional artists, and of amateurs whose work is no less valid to look at and review.

A while ago whilst in Belfast, I had the opportunity to see work put together by students who had been attending classes in the Crescent Arts Centre. As you can imagine there was a wide variety of skills on display, but each and every one of the artists deserve a resounding thank you for their efforts and for also being willing to show their work.

LInk to Crescent Arts Centre website, who run both classes and also put on a wonderfully wide range of shows covering from folk, to jazz, to classical to plays and musicals. Please give them a look and if you are around, go to one of there shows or exhibitions, you will not be disappointed.

Here are a few pictures to show some of the art shown: