‘Pope of Trash’ at city’s 12-day LGBT arts fest

THE UK’s largest LGBT arts festival is returning to Birmingham for its 10th annual celebrations this November.

SHOUT Festival of Queer Arts & Culture will present 12 days of internationally renowned performance, film and visual arts at 12 venues across the city.

The festival will be headlined by film director John Waters in his first ever appearance in Birmingham.

Described as the ‘‘Pope of Trash’’, John’s one-man-show, called This Filthy World, combines highlights of his career with anecdotes about living the life of a cinematic legend.

Fifty years after the Stonewall Riots launched the LGBTQ+ rights movement internationally, SHOUT 2019 celebrates queer identity in all its intersections and asks what the future holds for communities.

It launches with an opening party on Tuesday, November 5 at Nightingale Club, featuring performances from some of the UK’s leading cabaret artists and a screening of the cult classic film Hedwig and the Angry Inch. The party is followed by a line-up of LGBTQ+ icons including performances from trans activist Travis Alabanza and feminist legends Split Britches.

SHOUT Festival producer Adam Carver said: “For ten years SHOUT has been bringing the best of LGBTQ+ arts and culture to Birmingham and championing queer communities.

“In a time when our representation and our voices are more important than ever, this year’s festival is an opportunity to regroup, to come together and move forwards.’’