Award-winning Brighton venue Ironworks Studios has announced an expanded programme of LGBTQ+ club nights and community events following recent upgrades to its sound and lighting systems.
The venue, which won Best Large Venue at the Brighton Fringe Awards 2026, is launching a new season of immersive late-night events aimed at strengthening Brighton's queer nightlife at a time when LGBTQ+ venues across the UK continue to face significant challenges.
Originally established during the Covid-19 lockdown in 2020, Ironworks Studios first gained attention by live-streaming Brighton Pride and Trans Pride events. It has since grown into a multi-room arts and entertainment hub, hosting drag performances, live music, theatre productions and stand-up comedy through its resident Forge Comedy Club.
The autumn programme begins on Saturday, 3 October with the return of Monkey, the long-running queer club night created by the team behind Brighton LGBTQ+ nightlife institution Wild Fruit.
The event will take over three spaces within the venue, with DJs Paul Heron, Jon Byrne and Dulcie Danger appearing in the main room, while Princess Julia and Affy will perform in the lounge. Interactive entertainment will also feature in the venue's back-room bar.
Further events planned for the autumn include a Halloween edition of Wild Fruit, titled Hell's Kitchen, on 31 October, the launch of a new queer club night called Feral on 7 November, and The Red Party on 29 November, which will raise funds for Brighton HIV charity Lunch Positive.
The longer-term programme is also expected to include the return of popular LGBTQ+ events including lesbian club night Crushed, bear party Brüt and Traumfrau.
Alongside its evening entertainment, the venue is also preparing to launch Queer Edge Brighton, a daytime coworking and creative space operated in partnership with the East London-based Queer Edge collective.
Bertie Clarke, Ironworks' Events and Development Coordinator and co-founder of queer dance party Polyglamorous, said the venue wanted to work alongside existing businesses to strengthen Brighton's LGBTQ+ scene.
"Brighton has some iconic venues, and we really want to complement them and be a positive addition to the scene," they said.
"At a time when queer venues are closing down, it's important to uplift our spaces and support each other.
"Ironworks will work with promoters and venues across Brighton and the UK to promote the city as the premier LGBTQ+ destination. Brighton was recently ranked as one of the top ten cities in the world for nightlife. We need to live up to that."
The expanded programme comes as venue operators and campaigners continue to voice concerns about the decline of LGBTQ+ nightlife spaces nationwide. Organisers say the new initiative aims not only to provide more opportunities for queer people to socialise and celebrate, but also to support local artists, performers and community groups.
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