Exhibition: Under the Rainbow

Documents and Artefacts From Five Decades of LGBTQ+ Struggle and Liberation

An Exhibition at Broadway Cinema

In the face of aggressive marginalisation, LGBTQ+ people in Nottingham fought for themselves and stood shoulder to shoulder. In doing so, they created their own narratives and built their own support networks.

The documents and artefacts produced in these struggles continue to be an inspiration. They show how people organised themselves and created their own defiant media and spaces.

Born of resistance, it is all the more striking that these items are such vivid and positive depictions of culture, life and love, of a community that not only survived, but thrived.

Once again supported by Peoples’ Histreh and very kindly hosted by Broadway Cinema, the Sparrows' Nest is excited to share items from their rich collections of donated LGBTQ+ materials, complemented by pictures taken by local photo journalist Alan Lodge.

The exhibition is connected to the upcoming release of CJ DeBarra’s major new work on local LGBTQ+ history, to be published in early 2025 by Five Leaves, based on years of extensive research and over a hundred oral history interviews.

Please feel free to widely share this article and the promo leaflet!

Browse hundreds of local LGBTQ+ documents in our free Digital Library

Opening Times and additional Events

Thu 25 Jul

7-9pm: Join us for our opening event in the Broadway Gallery (enter through Broadway’s main entrance or via Heathcote Street).

We are much looking forward to David Edgley opening the exhibition with one of his excellent talks: "Some milestones along a bumpy Nottingham LGBTQ+ road".

David has been part of local LGBTQ+ struggles for decades and continues to be involved with some of Nottingham's independent LGBTQ+ publications.

CJ DeBarra will also introduce their LGBTQ+ history project.

Fri 26 Jul

Midday-5pm

Sun 28 Jul

Midday-7pm: Please note: Longer opening hours during Pride Weekend!

2pm: Free guided history walk 'Agitating the Lawless Rabble' around the City Centre, exploring the role of independent radical publications in local struggles. Starts at the Left Lion, ends at the back of Broadway Cinema. Duration: 1 hour, route wheelchair accessible. No fee, no need to book, just turn up!

After the walk arrives at Broadway Gallery, There will be a short reading from the upcoming book by CJ Debarra on local LGBTQ+ history.

Mon 29 Jul - Sat 3 Aug

Midday-5pm: 

Sun 4 Aug

Midday-5pm: 

2pm: Free guided history walk 'Agitating the Lawless Rabble' around the City Centre, exploring the role of independent radical publications in local struggles. Starts at the Left Lion, ends at the back of Broadway Cinema. Duration 1 hour, route wheelchair accessible. No fee, no need to book, just turn up!

After the walk arrives at Broadway Gallery, There will be a short reading from the upcoming book by CJ Debarra on local LGBTQ+ history.

Organised by 

The Sparrows' Nest Library and archive

Supported by 

People's Histreh

Featuring photography from Alan Lodge/ Tash