Heritage
MK Q:mmunity tales
You are invited to our exhibition of LGBTQ+ life in MK from 1967 to 2025. We’ll be in the Creative Void, Wolverton, from 30th August to 27th September 2025 and at MK Pride Festival on 13th September. Our two films will be launched at MK Gallery on 18th September.
This unique exhibition, presented by Q:alliance, is full of joy, heartache and many, many surprises. For the first time we’re bringing together an archive of oral histories, photos, posters, newsletters and artefacts that illustrate the richness of LGBTQ+ heritage in our city.
LGBTQ+ people have not always been visible in the MK community but have always existed. This is your opportunity to find out about the very active MK Campaign for Homosexual Equality in the 1970’s, how local people protested discriminatory legislation in the 1980’s, and a unique youth group called Youthline in the 1990’s - 2000’s? Throughout this period LGBTQ+ volunteers ran phone lines from Wolverton, Shenley, Netherfield, Kingston and the city centre. From 2000 to 2006 there were LGBTQ+ centres in Neath Hill (the Freedom Centre) and Witan Gate (Q:space).
There have been pubs, clubs, ‘gay nights’, ‘lesbian discos’, meals out, sports clubs and walking groups. Our catalogue of places and spaces has been transformed into two heritage walks and a queer map of Milton Keynes.
This history would be lost without the funding we received from The Heritage Lottery Fund, that enabled us to visit local and national archives, meet over 100 people, and conduct over 30 interviews in collaboration with the Living Archive.
Exhibition: MK Q:mmunity tales – not going underground
Venue: Creative Void (under the Old Bathhouse), 205 Stratford Rd, Wolverton, MK12 5RL.
The exhibition is free and there is no need to book unless you have a group of more than 10 people. It will be open to the public at the following times:
Tues 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd September: 2 – 6pm
Wed 3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th September: 6 – 8pm
Thurs 4th, 11th 18th, 25th September: 6 – 8pm
Fri 5th, 19th, 26th September: 4 – 8pm
(Closed Friday 12th Sept for MK Pride Festival)
Sat 6th, 20th, 27thSeptember: 11 – 4pm
(Closed Sat 13th Sept for MK Pride Festival)
Saturday 30th August: 12 noon – 1pm only for a public preview
Saturday 27th September: 11 – 4pm
Final day. We will be celebrating all our achievements over the last year with performance and film. Please book your space at https://www.qalliance.org.uk/events.
Saturday 13th September:
MK Pride Festival Heritage Tent, Campbell Park: 12 - 6pm
There will be additional creative activities alongside the exhibition, which will be publicised nearer the time at https://www.qalliance.org.uk/events.
Film launch at MK Gallery:
MK Q:mmunity tales – our queer voices (70 mins) and MK Q:mmunity tales – The Trans Script (20 mins)
Venue: The Skyroom, MK Galley, 900 Midsummer Blvd, MK9 3QA
Date: Thursday 18th September: 2 – 4.30pm
This is a FREE event and will include a Q&A with the film participants and directors.
Book your tickets at: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/living-archive/mk-q-mmunity-tales-lgbtq-heritage-film-showing/e-xzmxza
Book: MK Q:mmunity tales – local LGBTQ+ history since ‘67
Our core research findings will be published in a book that will be available in all local schools and libraries. It will be free to view online and available for purchase from 30th August 2025.
Want to volunteer or get involved? Contact us HERE.
Want to attend our events? Sign up HERE.
