In this second episode from the year-long Equal Arts project, we reflect on the importance of carving out queer spaces, especially during the hostile political and generally homophobic climate of the 80s and 90s. 
We hear from some of the pioneers who worked hard to carve out queer spaces in the cultural landscape of Newcastle, giving the LGBTQ communities safe places in which to just be and express themselves, dance, have fun, organise, find their tribe and  a space in which queer culture could flourish. We speak to women who were part of a collective that ran club nights and the long-standing queer cabaret night, Rock 'N' Doris and who went on to set up Pride on Tyne and also, two of the founders of Proudwords, the UK's first queer writing festival.

 Presenters: Melody Sproates, Alice Thwaite.

Interviewers: Melody Sproates, Alexandra Medesan, Richard Bliss.

Interviewees: Sarah Van Jellie, Emma Holliday, Julie Ballands, Lisa Matthews, Mary Lowe.

Produced and edited by Julie Ballands, working with oral history interviews from the HOOH archive. 

Music by Sarah Van Jellie

Handing On Our History is an Equal Arts project created by Alice Thwaite and Richard Bliss and is funded by National Lottery Heritage Fund.