As well as celebrating its 20th anniversary this June 2022, Cheltenham Science Festival is celebrating the LGBTQ+ community with a new partnership with Pride in Gloucestershire.
Both organisations are aiming to make the worlds of science and cyber safe spaces for LGBTQ+ people, as well as recognising the community’s important contributions to these fields.
As well as displaying LGBTQ+ flags prominently across the Cheltenham Science Festival Village, Pride in Gloucestershire also hopes to connect with the LGBTQ+ community in the county, with trustees Anya McKenna and Samantha Neath being at brand-new drop-in zone The Arcade from 6pm to 10pm on Friday 10 June 2022, celebrating all things cyber and providing advice and support to visitors.
McKenna, who is also the communications director for Pride in Gloucestershire, said: ‘This marks a pivotal moment, as Pride in Gloucestershire and Cheltenham Festivals embark on their journey together.
‘Whilst we’ve come a long way over the past 50 years, with 2022 marking the 50th year of Pride in the UK, visibility for the LGBT+ members is still very much needed.’
Cheltenham Science Festival’s head of programming, Dr Marieke Navin, added: ‘Cheltenham Festivals is passionate about demonstrating a welcoming and inclusive environment for everyone to enjoy and learn about science and culture in general, in line with all four of our annual festivals and learning and participation programmes.
‘We are excited to work with Pride in Gloucestershire this year on site at Cheltenham Science Festival to deepen our work with the LGBTQ+ communities both locally and nationally.’
For more information, visit prideinglos.org.uk.
