Event category: LGBTQIA+

Pivotal

Holding space for women and girls to come together

Aug 2023 - March 2024

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HOW DO I…

Make myself safer on the streets?

Intervene or support someone who’s being harassed, while being conscious of my safety? 

What advice should I give to my kids? 

Pivotal is a free empowerment programme, holding space for women and girls to come together, share and grow as a community. A practical space so you’ll know the actions you can take to feel safer and how to help others too. Expect deep chats, creative activities and to meet like minded locals.

To help us launch the project we’d like to get your views and opinions on several safety matters, specific to women and girls. Please spend a couple of minutes filling out the short questionnaire below.

In partnership with the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham 

Queer Joy

An LGBTQIA* Celebration

Fri 24 Feb, 7pm - 11pm

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For LGBT+ History Month we’re throwing a party for everyone to come together and celebrate our gorgeous LGBTQIA+ community in a safe and fun space.

The evening of entertainment, celebration, reflection, and creativity will be hosted by local artists Matty May & Grace Duggan, with drag kings, comedy and popup DJ performances which will take us into the night across our newly refurbished Studio 3 Arts venue.

See below for the fabulous live line-up.

You’ll also have an opportunity to explore earlier Be & Do artworks, projects and borough archive materials, with images and sound pieces available to experience. This celebration builds on the foundation, trusted community and relationships that have been nurtured over the past three years through Studio 3 Arts’ Be & Do programme.

QUEER JOY – An LGBTQIA* celebration will bring the energy of our online Queer Cabaret (2020) whilst offering the first in-person party for the Be & Do programme. Take a look at some of the best bits from past Queer Cabarets and Be&Do events at Studio 3 Arts

 

In partnership with London Borough of Barking and Dagenham

THE ARTISTS

Meet the performers taking to the stage at Queer Joy.

Cortina Ford

Cortina Ford is a Comedy Burlesque Performer from Dagenham. She has been performing burlesque since 2016 and began her burly career with Cardiff Cabaret Club under the tutelage of Foo Foo Labelle. She placed runner-up at Burlesque Idol 22 and is a regular performer with House Of Burlesque London. Her routines are the perfect theatrical blend of storytelling, strip and comedy, paying homage to the Showgirl greats.

Sam Reynolds

Sam Reynolds is an all-dancing/clowning/stripping/lip-syncing entertainer that has performed across the UK with both Duckie and Carnesky, was awarded funding by Arts Council England and the British Council to work with Pineapple Lab and Fringe Manila in the Philippines, and won Striptease Artist of the Year at the 21st Sexual Freedom Awards.

Spoiler Rotten

Kimberley Capero (she/they) is a queer, working class actor, theatre maker, drag artist and queerlesque performer from Dagenham in East London. She is a writer and audio artist too. Since graduating from East 15 Acting School in 2017, she’s worked in live and recorded performance and in the growing alternative cabaret scene as Ford boi drag king Spoiler Rotten. Spoiler Rotten is Ford’s Dagenham Dream. A factory lad. He thinks cars are sexy and he’s done hiding it. He brings the Ford Factory to life. Think oily drag king meets burlesque meets 00’s raver meets boi racer. Oil spill-worthy gender bending with a political twist. Inspired by a motoring obsessed family and a rooted connection to Dagenham’s Ford factory. Spoiler has performed at many of the UK’s top venues and festivals including The Roundhouse, Soho Theatre, Royal Vauxhall Tavern, Latitude Festival and The Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Kimberley can’t wait to bring their acts to home soil for Queer Joy.

Your your hosts for the night - Grace and Matty

Grace Duggan is a community artist and theatre director; their work often intersects with topics of class and queerness and she doesnt shut up about being from Barking. Grace has delivered workshops and collaborated with organisations such as Stratford East, Company Drinks, The National Theatre, Young Vic Theatre, The North Wall and The Royal Court. Grace currently works with community groups around the UK. 

Matty May is a working-class queer artist, host, writer and full time Barking babe. Their work is vulnerable, uncomfortable and a little bit funny. Matty’s debut solo show ‘If You Love Me This Might Hurt’ about mental health, queerness, class and suicide debuted at Camden Peoples Theatre in October 2021. They have been the lead artist on projects including ‘The Queer Wall’, ‘Bleeps & Bloops’ as well as leading  Be&Do and its artistic response with Grace. 

 

RoxXxan

Birmingham-born rapper RoxXxan is challenging society’s perceptions of beauty while carving out space for women in the music industry. RoxXxan is a Rapper model, DJ, podcaster, storyteller and not only has she worked with Big names industry names RoxXxan has also been on campaigns for Schwarzkopf, Mercedes and Samsung to name a few. ROXXXAN IS BACK and in full swing and ready to get stuck in and be visible EVERYWHERE!!

Where?

Address: Studio 3 Arts, Galleon Centre, Boundary Rd, Barking IG11 7JR

15 minutes walk from Barking town centre and train/tube station.   

Tube & Train:

Barking has great public transport connections with District Line, Hammersmith & City, Overground and C2C services all coming into Barking Station. You can get from central London to Studio 3 Arts in less than an hour.

Buses:

The 62 Bus runs along the Gascoigne Road and stops close to Studio 3 Arts. Get off at the stop called ‘Boundary Road’, then we’re just a minute’s walk along Boundary Road. (https://tfl.gov.uk/bus/route/62)

Other buses in Barking are: 287, 5, 368, EL1 EL2 – then 10-12 minute walk

Be & Do - Queer Joy Can Happen Here

Find out more about Be & Do our project for Barking & Dagenham’s LGBTQIA+ community and check out the audio & visual artwork Being Visible.

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Pride & Joy Tent

Studio 3 Arts at The Roundhouse Music Festival 2022

Sun 24 July, 12 - 5pm

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Join Studio 3 Arts and Be & Do in our LGBQTIA+ friendly Pride & Joy Tent at The Roundhouse Music Festival on Sunday 24 July, 12-5pm. 

Everyone is welcome with an upbeat, fun-filled and FREE programme open to all ages.

Guest highlights include everyone’s favourite pantomime dame, Mama G (@mamagstories) who will be telling family friendly stories and songs about being who you want and loving who you are that the whole family will love.

Fancy trying out some Vogue ballroom dancing? Then join Tarek Khwiss (@tarekkhwiss) workshop they aim to empower you through dance. You can also watch spectacular dance performances by leading female Krump and Hip Hop dancers Shortie Buck (@clairesince94) and Stevie (stevie_22).

Plus come and chill in the tent and enjoy great tunes throughout the day cutesy of legendary Dj Roxxxan (@rotriplex).

Hosted by Matty May.

Visit www.lbbd.gov.uk/roundhouse-music-festival for the full Roundhouse Music Festival programme.

Also at The Roundhouse Music Festival...

The LIVE FINAL of Roundhouse Unsigned on the Main Stage – Sunday 24 July, 3.20pm & 5pm. Come along and support the finalists. Free entry.

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Artists joining Studio 3 Arts in the Pride and Joy tent

Mama G

Tarek Khwiss

Stevie

Claire Hough

Where?

The Roundhouse Music Festival takes place in Parsloes Park, Dagenham.

Free event – no tickets required

Be & Do

Proud to BE LGBTQIA+ in Barking & Dagenham

Next meeting: 7th March, 6-8pm, Studio 3 Arts

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Proud to be LGBTQIA+ in Barking & Dagenham

Welcome to Be & Do, our arts-led project designed to support and strengthen Barking & Dagenham’s LGBTQIA+ community. Led by Studio 3 Arts, Be & Do uses creativity as a vehicle to start conversations, tell stories, bring LGBTQIA+ people together and challenge stereotypes and myths.

The project is funded by Barking and Dagenham Council, delivered in partnership with a range of local organisations and spearheaded by local artists Matty May and Grace Duggan.

Monthly Social Meetings

Our monthly social for LGBTQIA+ people who live, work or study in Barking and Dagenham. It’s free to attend and a friendly welcome is promised, with free refreshments!

7th March, 6-8pm, Studio 3 Arts

Queer Joy Can Happen Here

Being Visible - audio and visual artworks that explore queer joy, identity and safety in Barking and Dagenham

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Presented by artists Grace Duggan and Matty May, Being Visible has been produced by Studio 3 Arts for Be & Do, our project for Barking and Dagenham’s LGBTQIA+ community, to explore queer joy, identity and safety in Barking and Dagenham. Grace and Matty are co-writers for the pieces, collaborating with visual artist Hannah Dickens and sound artist Roly Botha.

 

Click here to read a transcript

 

Click here to read a transcript

The Being Visible artworks take the form of print posters with embedded QR codes displayed in public locations across Barking and Dagenham from 18 November 2021. The QR codes link to the audio soundscapes which you can listen to via the web players above.

“These pieces are a response to being queer in this borough. We both have varying relationships with our queer identities and this town. Although we adore the space, it hasn’t always felt safe or kind towards us. BEING VISIBLE is about reaching those who are not currently heard but also speaking openly about where this borough is currently in its LGBTQIA* safety.”

Gracy & Matty

Grace Duggan

Grace is a community artist and theatre director; their work often intersects with topics of class and LGBTQIA*. Grace has delivered workshops and collaborated with organisations such as Fuel Theatre, Studio 3 Arts, Young Vic Theatre, The North Wall, and The Royal Court. Grace directs the Junior Youth Theatre at Theatre Royal Stratford East, and works with community groups around the UK.

Matty May

Matty is a working-class queer artist who is Unashamedly common as muck, sometimes funny, and often anxious. Their work is honest, vulnerable, and a little uncomfortable. Matty’s debut solo show ‘If You Love Me This Might Hurt’, which explores mental health and suicide from a working class queer perspective, premiered at Camden Peoples Theatre in October 2021. They are the Associate Director of Scottee & Friends and have been lead artist on projects including ‘The Queer Wall’ and ‘Bleeps & Bloops’.

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