Arts Rainbow flag acquired for Design Museum’s permanent collection The Design Museum in London acquires a series of new objects for its permanent collection.New acquisitions include the rainbow flag, David Bowie’s Blackstar album, a coffee cup for astronauts and Oculus Rift’s virtual reality headset. By Besi • 3 min read
Arts Casting announced for ‘Bent’ @National Theatre Casting announced for Bent at the National Theatre: Queer Theatre: LGBT+ Stories and Social Change – in partnership with Pride in London. The National Theatre will mark the 50th anniversary of the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality in England and Wales by staging its first Queer Theatre even By Besi • 2 min read
In The South Victims of Hate Crime being failed Current responses to Hate Crime in the UK are failing and letting down victims, says new report entitled Identifying and Dismantling Barriers to Justice. New research by University of Leicester experts highlights the barriers that victims face in accessing justice and identifies ways of overcoming t By Besi • 2 min read
Rag ‘N’ Bone Man (Rory) by Deans Chalkley for Sony Records Arts PREVIEW: Rag’n’Bone Man ‘Overproof Tour’ @Brighton Centre Following his triumphant set on The Other Stage at Glastonbury on Sunday July 2, the biggest UK breakout star of 2017, Rag’n’Bone Man, AKA Rory Graham, announces seven UK and Eire dates for this November including a show at the Brighton Centre on November 28. By Besi • 1 min read
Community News Record crowds expected at Trans Pride 2017 The 5th Annual Trans Pride Film Night, the curtain raiser to Trans Pride 2017 on Friday July 21, celebrates trans lives and trans representation through film. By Besi • 3 min read
Arts New library scheme to support people living with long term health conditions A new national Reading Well scheme is being launched for people long-term health conditions. Delivered by public libraries, the new scheme is part of the successful Reading Well Books on Prescription programme, developed with health experts and people living with long-term conditions and their carer By Besi • 2 min read
General News Tory Leader says Brighton & Hove City Council borders on “being dysfunctional” Labour Councillors on Brighton & Hove City Council’s Licensing Committee used their votes last week to reject the Conservatives’ call for a wholesale review of the Council’s street trading policy. In response to concerns raised by local businesses, the Conservatives had previously tabled a request a By Besi • 3 min read
Community News PICTURE DIARIES: Bears! Bears! Bears! Hundreds of Bears and their admirers descended on Dorset Gardens in Brighton Kemptown on the hottest Saturday of the year (June 17) for the annual Brighton Bear Weekend Bear-B-Que and Picnic. This year’s picnic, the busiest yet, featured for the first time a main stage with entertainment provided by By Besi • 1 min read
Arts Chair of Rainbow Chorus receives ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ at Golden Handbag Award Ceremony For the first time this year I asked LGBT+ groups and organisations to nominate someone who they felt deserved a special award at Golden Handbags 2017. I was personally thrilled to present Finola Brophy with a Gscene Lifetime Achievement Award for her services to equality and LGBT+ people in the cit By Besi • 22 min read
Arts PREVIEW: Sophie Cook talks about her life Trans activist and Labour Parliamentary candidate Sophie Cook announces dates for her new show Not Today – How I chose Life. Sophie Cook is a media personality, politician and activist whose wide portfolio of work includes presenting, producing, writing, photography and motivational speaking. By Besi • 2 min read
General News New Spirit in The Old Steine MCC Brighton (the people who brought the giant Jesus to the Pride Parade in 2016) again change perceptions of what a church is. Pastor Andrew Ramage, says: “This year we decided to really step it up, so we volunteered to organise the ‘Faith Corner’ for TransPride in July and have already got some gr By Besi • 2 min read
Arts PREVIEW: Brighton Festival Chorus: Summer Concert at Attenborough Centre for Brighton Festival Chorus (bfc) celebrates its 50th anniversary season with a summer concert at the Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts. bfc has been rehearsing at the University of Sussex since 1968 when Laszlo Heltay, the University’s Director of Music, formed the Chorus. Heltay auditioned ma By Besi • 2 min read
