Brighton & Hove’s LGBTQI literature festival goes online for 2021
BY SOPHIE GRIFFITHS, IMAGE OF JUNO DAWSON BY JACK LATHAM
The Coast Is Queer, Brighton & Hove’s festival celebrating LGBTQI literature returns in digital form from 5-7 February 2021. Now in its second year, the programme of events brings together writers, performers, academics, activists and of course readers, for a weekend of in-conversation events, workshops, films and discussions celebrating queer lives and writing.
Even though it’s virtual, it will also be possible to buy and browse at the festival’s virtual bookshelf, curated by Brighton and Hove’s largest independent bookshop: City Books.
The inaugural Coast Is Queer festival proved itself to be significant for LGBTQI literature in its initial year back in 2019. Attended by more than 1000 people, with 40 writers over four days in Brighton, the festival was a resounding success with an extensive programme of moving and exhilarating events. This year all events will be completely free with donations towards the event welcomed.
Confirmed speakers for 2021 include:
📚. Val McDermid (Still Life, The Wire In The Blood, Broken Ground)
📚. Valerie Mason – John (I Am Still Your Negro, Detox Your Heart)
📚. Phyll Opoku-Gyimah (Executive Director, UK Black Pride)
📚. Juno Dawson (This Book Is Gay, Margot & Me)
📚. Jamie Windust (In Their Shoes)
📚. Golnoosh Nour (The Ministry of Guidance and other stories)
📚. Rosie Garland (What Girls Do In The Dark, The Night Brother)
📚. Maria Jastrzębska (The True Story Of Cowboy Hat and Ingénue)
…PLUS more speaker announcements coming soon
The Coast Is Queer takes place online 5-7 February 2021 with all events free, but with donations encouraged. Click here to find out more and to grab yourself tickets for any of the events.
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