Coventry Pride launches ‘Summer of Pride’

Coventry Pride has announced an ambitious and exciting line-up of Pride events, which will include partnership art installations and connections with the Coventry City of Culture Trust.

Organisers have successfully secured funding – much of which has been provided by the Coventry City of Culture Trust – and support to ensure that the LGBTQ+ community can engage in diverse and inclusive programming.

The theme of this year’s pride events is Pride and Joy, “reflecting the yearning felt by many, within and external to the LGBT+ community for moments of pride and joy, lost during a year dominated by the global pandemic”.

The Summer of Pride events will include an orchestral concert in the cathedral ruins, experience exhibitions in the city centre, and a film production focusing on cultural diversity and family fun in green spaces. All events are designed to complement the centrepiece, which is the annual Pride festival itself.

The headline dates for Coventry’s Summer of Pride are:

• Saturday, July 17 – Classically Queer

• Saturday, August 7 – Pride & Joy – Coventry Pride Festival 2021

• Saturday, August 14 – Family Fun Day

• Wednesday, September 1 – Art is a Protest

• Wednesday, October 20 – Melanated Spaces

Paul Desson-Baxter

Paul Desson-Baxter, chair of Coventry Pride, said: “We’re proud and pleased to be launching such a dynamic, ambitious programme of events over the next few months. The entire UK has had to deal with the challenges

“We wanted to provide opportunities for moments of joy, as well as space for the community to reconnect, reflect and be proud,” he continues. “We have so much more to announce in and around each of these headline events, which we have actively designed to be inclusive and reflective of our various intersectional communities. We’re pleased to be working with some brilliant partners including Coventry ArtSpace, the Tin Music and Arts venue and Belgrade Theatre.”

The charity is hoping to engage with a wide range of people, from volunteers, entertainers and stallholders to artists, performers and research participants (for its partnership initiatives with Coventry City of Culture). At the time of writing, commissions for LGBTQ+ artists and application details were due to be soon revealed via social media.

More details on the line-up of events as well as opportunities to purchase or book tickets will also be announced soon. Anyone wishing to be involved in the Coventry Summer of Pride, should follow them on Instagram or Twitter (@pridecov) or search for Coventry Pride on Facebook.

For more info on Coventry Pride, visit: www.coventrypride.org.uk