Pride in Motion

In 1987, British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher stood at the Conservative Party Conference in Blackpool and delivered an infamous speech that ushered in Section 28, a piece of largely hidden legislation forcing LGBT+ people nationwide into a place of secrecy and shame.

This exhibition attempts to reverse that narrative through a series of striking queer portraits – a direct response to Thatcher’s attempt to erase LGBT+ identities.

The photographs themselves are deeply personal and collaborative. The people, all members of Blackpool’s vibrant LGBT+ community, selected locations across the town and designed their own iconic looks, movements and creative style to express their individuality and personality, transforming Blackpool into a canvas for their stories.

From iconic landmarks to hidden alleyways, every photograph is a reclamation of space, reclaiming the very place once overshadowed by Thatcher’s words into bold statements of pride.

By linking past struggles to present celebrations, the exhibition offers a powerful statement – a symbolic march away from the constraints of the past and towards a brighter, freer future.