As part of the Greater Manchester LGBTQ+ Arts and Culture Network, in 2021 we were a recipient of the Network’s Progress Bursary supporting LGBTQ+ projects across the region. For our project we partnered up with the Proud Trust’s ‘Youth Out in Oldham’ group to support an artist in the development of their own craft, working directly with staff members from the Coliseum and The Proud Trust to deliver six creative sessions for the group.

‘Youth Out in Oldham’, delivered by The Proud Trust, is a youth group based in Oldham that supports young lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender people, or those questioning their gender or sexuality aged between 13-19 (19+ for those with additional needs). Having met with the group online, it became clear that many members were interested in the creation of music, specifically Metal Music, as an artform they could see themselves pursuing. With this in mind, we appointed musician Will Walton as the recipient of the Progress Bursary.

After a few thinking and jamming sessions with Will and Coliseum staff, the young people decided to write a pirate metal song. The young people cherished the opportunity to talk about the things that they’re passionate about as young LGBT+ people.  The song has now grown into an album concept, with another song written waiting to be recorded, and album art in the works.

We have absolutely loved working on The Progress Bursary over the past few months. What has been most impressive to us at the Coliseum is the new ways in which this project has helped us work with young people, from drama to different forms of music.

Our thanks go out to the staff at The Proud Trust, the LGBT Foundation, Will Walton, and especially the wonderful young people who contributed to creating the songs. To find out more about the project, as well as listen to the songs, please have a look at our outcome below.

LGBTQIA+ is an acronym representing the diversity of sexual orientation and gender identity. The letters represent Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex and Asexual, and the plus sign is for those who identify as having any other gender or sexual identity not represented by those definitions.

This project is supported by a Progress Bursary from the Greater Manchester LGBTQ+ Arts and Culture Network, an LGBT Foundation project, supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England.

For more information you can visit LGBT Foundation’s website at: lgbt.foundation