Thank you from our Festival Director

If the feedback we have received is anything to go by, you found The Coast is Queer festival as joyful, stimulating and convivial as we did. It is such a pleasure to see our queer  community, in its myriad, rainbow glory, coming together to listen, talk and celebrate so many brilliant, brilliant LGBTQ+ writers. 

We are grateful to all the authors, poets, playwrights, storytellers (and singers!) who came and shared their lives and their work with us over the weekend. We love the way they all embrace this unique opportunity to speak honestly and openly to audiences that really get it, without any explanation and without any filters. There was a lot of love in the room this weekend and we are deeply grateful to everyone who came – writers, audience members, volunteers, staff – for bringing your open minds and open hearts. 

We’re already plotting and planning the 2025 festival. We will be back at ACCA, our home from home, and we’re excited to have access to some larger spaces next year. We have some of our best-loved writers and exciting newcomers pencilled in the diary and Kemptown Bookshop are poised to return with their beautiful pop-up shop.  

Keep an eye on future newsletters where we’ll be announcing one-off events throughout the year with partners including Queer Heritage South and Brighton Festival. There is a new writing competition in the wings and other opportunities for queer writers and readers. We’ll also be sharing the wonderful photos from the Festival, so stay tuned!

We look forward to welcoming you all. 

– Lesley Wood, Festival Director