CELEBRATING QUEER CULTURE

Volunteer Call Out

Two people smile at the camera wearing futuristic outfits

Volunteer Call Out

Andro and Eve is about bringing our community together, and one of the ways we do that is by working with a fab team of volunteers who give their time to help make our events happen. 

As we prepare for some activities in the coming year we’re looking to expand our volunteer team who support our events and workshops in a variety of ways. We’d love to hear from you if you’ve got some time and energy to help out.

two people stand behind a cake stall serving cake with Pride flags behind them
Our volunteers serving up cake – no event is without it!

Our volunteers assist with the following tasks at our events and workshops:-

– Interacting with our community, providing a warm welcome, giving directions, responding to access requests and assisting with crowd control.
– Decorating venues pre event; think hanging bunting, fairy lights, all the sparkle!
– Handling cash / using card machine for sales of raffle tickets / merch and cake.
– Keeping venues clean and trip hazard free! Clearing up after the event and packing away. 
– Helping safeguard our community, working with our Safer Spaces and Safeguarding policies. 
– Helping collect data from audience members and participants to support Andro and Eve’s evaluation processes.  

And for online events:-

– Admitting people onto zoom calls
– Monitoring the chat and providing support to participants
– Helping keep the online space safe, working with our Safer Spaces and Safeguarding policies. 

We’re also keen to hear from people who would be up for distributing our posters and flyers, this is an important part of helping us reach new people.

If you are interested in supporting a small queer arts organisation and meeting new people then becoming part of Andro and Eve’s volunteer crew might be for you.

Typically, we ask volunteers wanting to help with events to work with us on evenings and weekends, and for shifts of 3 – 6 hours. In return for your support, we provide:-

– Free food at in person events
– Local travel expenses covered
– Free training and support in advance of events
– Team socials 

As one previous volunteer said – 

‘Getting involved with Andro and Eve has been a great decision. There’s something really powerful about coming together and putting on these fabulous events to celebrate aspects of our queer culture. The team are so friendly, and it’s been a pleasure to meet so many new friends from those involved’.

If the above sounds good to you, you’re up for interacting with audiences, artists and participants, and you have some availability, then send us a message to hello@androandeve.com and tell us;

  1. Why you’d like to volunteer
  2. Where you are based
  3. If you’ve helped out at events before (any kind, and its okay if you haven’t)
  4. Any relevant skills related to the above duties that might be good for us to know about
  5. If you are available to help out at The Kingdom Come on 13 April (it’s okay if not, there’ll be other events!)
  6. Any specific support you might need to access this opportunity. 

We’ll then liaise with you about the best ways to get you involved.

Volunteers who would like to help out at The Kingdom Come on 13 April should have contacted us by 25 March so we can let you know about some team training in time! 

If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to drop us a line. We look forward to hearing from you. 

Meet Jazyra Christou

Jazyra is standing on a path in a woodland smiling.

Ahead of the launch of Reyt Proud zine on 2 March, we caught up with designer Jazyra Christou to find out about their work and inspirations and what brings them pride!

Reyt Proud zine is a new zine that shines a light on stories from LGBTQ+ people in Doncaster sharing what makes them proud. It’s part of a longer term project we’re working on with Right Up Our Street for LGBTQ+ people in Doncaster, with the creation of artwork which will debut at Doncaster Pride which is this years’ UK Pride. 

Jazyra is a Leeds based graphic designer whose practice revolves around playing with typography and lettering. Their work lies at an intersection between graphic design and illustration, often combining analogue with digital processes as well as exploring image making techniques.

Can you tell us about your previous projects / work?

Ooooooo a really fun recent personal project was this publication called Joyful. It’s basically a queer community cookbook. I really love cooking for people and hosting dinner parties. They’ve been a way to show my love and appreciation to friends as well as getting to know people better and deepen connections. So I wanted to capture this energy and encourage other people to try new recipes, to bring people together and maybe they’ll discover a passion for cooking too! The cookbook consists of people sharing family recipes, culture, comforts, cravings, culinary creations as well as poetry. All the contributions are so so lovely so I’m excited for its existence in the world. 

inside Joyful zine, with layouts of the A5 zine
Joyful zine (2024). Jazyra Christou

What inspires you as a creative / graphic designer? 

Typography is a big source of inspiration like when I get to explore a new city one of my fave things to do is roaming around on the lookout for fun type. We’re surrounded by so much type it can be easy to not notice it but discovering a whacky shop sign or an unusual, super extravagant letter gets me real excited. Just walking down the street you’ll probably pass loads of things that use typography. 

Seeing the work other creatives are making inspires me a lot. I need to give a shout out to Wooshy World, they are constantly pushing boundaries creating mind blowing work from fashion pieces to collage to exhibitions. Also Soft and Prickly is such a talented artist who does really cool stuff with natural dyes (and an amazing nail artist too!) I try to look outside of the realm my work lies in because I think that gives you new ideas and encourages you to create work outside your comfort zone.

What do you like about zines and how did you get into them? 

Zines are just the best! They can capture an idea, research, stories, and explore very niche topics. And they bring people together who are into the same things that help to build these underground subcultures and connect with people. Then it’s something you kinda get obsessed with and fall in love with so you’ll be telling your friends about the latest zine you’ve discovered and it just grows from there. 

One of my fave zines at the moment is called Filler, it dives into how food links with our mental health and explores community care, supper clubs, culture, colonialism, food ecosystems and nutrition. These are just a few topics, there’s so much good stuff packed into it! It’s really great, I’d recommend grabbing a copy. I also love when creatives use zines experimentally to explore more abstract work and play with a theme or even to showcase sketches / unfinished work that might not otherwise be seen. I could easily go on and on talking about my fave zines but I’ll leave it at that for now haha!

Bright coloured poster designs in yellow, green, orange and blue have the words fantasma in flaming letters on
Previous examples of Jazyra’s work. Credit: Jazyra Christou

What’s your experience of being a queer creative in Yorkshire? 

There’s so many queer creatives doing really exciting things. I don’t know where all the energy comes from but queers are relentless, they’ll find a way to make it happen even when the budget is super tight. And it’s a very DIY led creative scene. If someone wants to put on a club night, an exhibition, an art market and so on they do. It’s encouraging to see that. And Leeds is very close knit so once you start meeting people and going to their events you’ll find them rocking up at your workshops, buying your tote and supporting your work. It’s very loving.

What are you excited about with Reyt Proud zine? 

To see everyone’s contributions! I don’t know Doncaster super well so it will be fun to get to know the people and hear their experiences. And the intergenerational aspect is great too. I feel like I am surrounded by people in their 20s and 30s so this is an opportunity to connect to the slightly older folks. They’ve really paved the way for us and I feel it’s good to have conversations about our experiences. And I think the zine will really encourage this.

A pile of calendars on top of a box are illustrated with blue shapes and text on a pink background
2024 calendars designed by Jazyra Christou and Luci Pina

What makes you proud to be you? Or what brings you pride and joy?

I haven’t thought about this much before (I’ll probably do a journal entry after writing this). I guess self expression brings me pride. The last few years I’ve really come into my queer identity. There’s still plenty I’m exploring with what my queerness means to me as well as my identity and gender. But I’m getting more and more comfortable with my queerness and feeling closer to my authentic self.

In terms of my design practice, creating work for projects I believe in, for people who are doing what they love – which might be running a record label for example – that brings me a lot of joy. I’ve got to work for independent venues and DIY spaces, and people running their own club nights or events and that’s super special for me to be part of and feel connected with the local community. I’m also proud of hanging in doing what I love because freelancing isn’t easy and I’m working side jobs to keep me afloat. I feel like most creatives I know are in similar positions but being able to do freelance design work is a privilege and it’s still crazy that people approach me with their projects and put their trust in me. It’s a really lovely feeling and a pleasure to work with them.

If this has sparked your curiosity, come along to the launch of Reyt Proud zine on Saturday 2 March in Doncaster city centre. Join us for an afternoon of free tea, cake and creative activities! Plus get your free copy of Reyt Proud zine. Find out more via Right Up Our Street. 

Bookable Gender Awareness Training

Gender Awareness Training

We’re pleased to announce a new date for our Gender Awareness Training. Booking is now open for 15 March 10am – 1pm. This online session is aimed at freelancers, individuals and organisations where less than 6 people would like to undertake this training. 

This 3 hour Gender Awareness Training session is designed to pass on knowledge and best practice enabling you to better serve and meet the needs of clients and customers of all genders, particularly those who fall under the Transgender umbrella.

We cover topics including, language, intersectionality, non binary identities, allyship gender in a global context, feminism, LGBTQ+ herstory and transgender health and equality and the law.

Learning Outcomes – You will;

  • Feel more confident in your knowledge of the experiences of people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning (LGBTQ+).
  • Understand what gender inclusive language is and when to use it. 
  • Learn about LGBTQ+ histories, rights and current legislation and understand what this might mean for trans and non-binary people living in the UK today. 
  • Explore practical steps to help build gender inclusive practices and spaces, including by being an ‘ally’ to trans, non-binary and gender minoritised people.

As one past participant said;

‘This training was empowering and motivating, and I felt that the trainer created a really safe space for respectful and open discussion’.

Each participant will take away a resource pack with content covered in the session along with further advice and reading. Places are limited, and priced on a sliding scale. Book via Eventbrite now!

Access Information – We will take two breaks during this session and each participant receives information on session structure in advance. Closed Captions will be provided via zoom and the training is supported with slides with text and images. 

TransGender Awareness Week

Pink white and blue transgender flag

This week in the UK it’s Transgender Awareness Week from 13 – 19 November.

CW: Transphobia.

Transgender Awareness Week is a week to celebrate the achievements of our trans and gender expansive siblings and talk about the ways we have to go in fighting for transgender liberation. 

We want to use this moment to recognise how tough the last year has been for many trans and non-binary people living in the UK. If you are trans or non binary, you’ll probably be all too aware of the rise in transphobia. But for those outside the community, we’ve made this short summary to be able to evidence what that looks like in the UK right now. 

In the last year alone;

> The UK Government blocked the Scottish Gender Reform Bill.

> The UK Government announced plans to tighten the rules for holders foreign gender recognition certificates

> A significant change to the 2010 Equality Act is being pursued by the government, which would redefine “sex” to refer specifically to a person’s sex at birth. (This has not been enacted yet, but follows the trend of increased transphobia from the Conservative government). 

> Rishi Sunak openly mocked trans people to MP’s and made transphobic comments in his Tory party conference speech. 

> Health Secretary Steve Barclay announced plans to ban transgender women from female wards in the NHS in line with a policy of single sex wards.

> Labour has rolled back on its promise to introduce self ID. 

These actions are part of an ongoing culture war and moral panic. They have a direct impact on the ways we as trans people navigate the world and undermine trans people’s ability to live authentically and in peace. Hate crimes against trans people are up by 186% in the last 5 years and up by 11% in the last 5 years. (ONS Data).

When this transphobia intersects with race, disability, immigration status or other issues that can further marginalise people, health and equality outcomes can be even worse. It is no coincidence that the UK continues to fail to recognise its complicity in colonialism and the way this upholds power structures designed to give social advantages to very few people.

There is of course so much to celebrate in the contributions and achievements and strength of trans people, but this week we ask our allies to educate themselves on some of the issues outlined above and then check carefully how those in power, who we can hold accountable, are voting and making decisions. 

Change is possible, but only through education, policy and action. Thats why we believe passionately in our Gender Awareness Training and its contribution towards this work. Our Gender Awareness Training empowers participants to advocate for and enact practices that better meet the needs of trans and gender diverse people.

Next week we are hosting a Live Q&A about our Gender Awareness Training. Find out more and book a free place here.

Solidarity always with those fighting for transgender liberation.

Gender Awareness Training – Launching our New Sessions! 

Finn, a slim white androgynous person with short hair is speaking in front of a screen with a session plan projected onto it

We’re pleased to announce the launch of new Gender Awareness Training sessions.

These sessions are available to book for business and organisations who want to support teams to meet the needs of clients, customers and service users of all genders, particularly those who fall under the Transgender umbrella. 

We’ve been delivering our Main Gender Awareness training session over the last two and a half years, to a whole range of organisations from sectors including health, education, youth services, local government, charities, culture and business. 

In this time, we’ve listened to participant and client feedback and revised the main session content several times in response to this feedback and the changing landscape here in the UK in relation to transgender rights. This has enabled us to keep meeting our clients where they are, and supporting teams to feel more confident in discussing transgender and non-binary rights and implementing equitable practices in the workplace.

We’ve also expanded our trainer team, taking on experienced and highly qualified professionals well used to supporting different groups’ learning and who have plenty of experience developing training content that supports equitable practices for marginalised communities.

Gender Awareness Training, new sessions available to book

In response to client feedback and the need to challenge dominant narratives about the lives and rights of trans people here in the UK, we have developed three new Gender Awareness Training sessions. These sessions will raise awareness of different issues affecting trans and non-binary people in the UK today and are pitched at different levels to support team members at different stages of learning and development. 

So what’s on offer? 

Firstly, for organisations looking for a shorter session for those new to the subject of transgender equality, our Online Intro Session is a great first step towards supporting teams to feel more confident when discussing gender and trans rights. This 1 hour session can be delivered for up to 30 people online. 

For those who have perhaps already had some workplace based LGBTQ+ Awareness Training, or feel confident in their knowledge, and are looking more specifically at developing teams’ awareness of the issues affecting trans / non-binary and gender expansive people, our Gender Beyond the Binary session can provide this more focused training. This session is available to book online or in person as a 2.5 hour session or online only as a 1 hour session. 

Finally, the Going Further Session is designed to deepen participants’ knowledge of gender, sex and the most pressing issues affecting trans and non-binary people, further increasing the confidence of participants to support trans, non-binary and gender minoritised people in professional and social situations. This 2.5 hour session is aimed at those who have already undertaken our Gender Awareness Training Main Session or who have already undertaken LGBTQ+ Awareness Training in the last two years. It can be delivered online or in person. 

If this sounds like just what your organisation is looking for, you can find out more details about the range of training we offer on our Gender Awareness Training page.  Our sessions can be delivered both in person and online and our tiered pricing helps organisations of different sizes access this important resource. 

For many trans people, 2023 has felt like an onslaught, in terms of the legislative threats to safety and dignity, ever increasing wait times to access gender affirming healthcare and the ongoing moral panic around trans lives supported by the press and media. 

We believe that providing access to knowledge, leading research and best practice researched and delivered by those with lived experience, along with space to discuss the practical implementation of policies and practices that can support trans and gender diverse people to live freely and authentically, is an important part of the fight for transgender liberation and gender equality. 

Start your organisation’s journey towards equitable practices and policies for trans and non binary people by finding out more about our Gender Awareness Training today.

The Kingdom Come: Pride is a Protest

Shardeazy Afrodesiak stands on stage with raised fist wearing black latex underwear in front of a crowd of people

Time for a roundup from our Pride month edition of our ever popular drag king cabaret, The Kingdom Come!

This special edition’s theme was chosen by our community and as usual featured kings, costumes and plenty vegan cake (this time provided by Sheffield based Little Town Pantry). This sold out event was also a fundraiser for Andro and Eve – vital for a small queer arts organisation navigating a very challenging situation when it comes to funding, the cost of living crisis and specific to Sheffield, use of accessible, well located venues. But thats another blog post….

Drag king Richard Energy sits on stage flanked by kings, Shardeazy Afrodesiak, Unknown Amazon, Toby Carvery, Wesley Dykes and Billy Butch
L-R, Billy Butch, Richard Energy, Unknown Amazon, Toby Carvery, Wesley Dykes, Shardeazy Afrodesiak. Credit -Nelly Naylor (2023).

And so to the night, hosted by the seriously suave and silly Richard Energy. His puppetry was on point, but the jokes and camaraderie he created were the things that made this so special and helped everyone feel so welcome. Yay!

Richard Energy a slim white king with sharp contour and short hair, lip syncs onstage with an actual sink with giant red lips.
Richard energy performs with his Lip Sink at The Kingdom Come. Credit – Nelly Naylor (2023)

We were treated to incredible performances by drag kings including Unknown Amazon, Billy Butch, Wesley Dykes, Shardeazy Afrodesiak, and Toby Carvery. These acts packed a punch, ensuring no one forgot the true meaning of Pride as a fight for our rights as LGBTQ+ people, while also being seriously entertained. A big thanks to all these acts for performing at The Kingdom Come.

Two white people sit next to each other on a red velvet banquet seating smiling. Behind them are handmade card placards that say ' Lavender Menace' 'ban conversion therapy'
The Kingdom Come 7. Credit – Nelly Naylor (2023)

The community showed up in style and with many a placard, helping transform Crookes Social Club into a haven of queer joy and power. A special thanks should to the venue for their support and our team who helped things run smoothly.

A crowd of people sit looking upwards at a stage in a hall lit by rainbow coloured lights
The Kingdom Come 7. Credit – Nelly Naylor (2023)

We want to say a massive thank you to everyone who bought a ticket, donated to our crowdfunder or played the raffle HARD (yes there was a queue to get tickets at one point). You helped us raise an amazing £1,076 which we were able to use as match funding for an Arts Council bid. If successful, this will help support a programme of work with accessible events and creative opportunities for everyone to participate in and celebrate queer culture.

Unknown Amazon, a Black woman dressed as a blue vein man reaches her hand out on stage
Unknown Amazon performs at The Kingdom Come. Credit – Nelly Naylor (2023)

In the meantime, enjoy the photos of The Kingdom Come; Pride is a Protest edition taken by Nelly Naylor. And don’t forget to sign up to our newsletter to be first to hear news from us x

Billy Butch, a white drag king with swept back dark hair, is dressed as a priest in black with a dog collar. He is kneeling on stage holding the bible
Billy Butch took us all to church. Credit: Nelly Naylor (2023)
Toby Carvery wearing a rainbow suit and chicken head, struts on stage
Toby Carvery at The Kingdom Come 7. Credit – Nelly Naylor (2023)
A Chinese man and white femme with blue hair stand with their arms around each other smiling in front of a pink glitter curtain
All smiles at The Kingdom Come 7! Credit: Nelly Naylor (2023)
A crowd of people cheers and claps in a big hall lit by warm lighting.
Round of applause for the drag kings! Credit – Nelly Naylor (2023)
Wesley Dykes, a Black West African drag king stands singing into a mic on stage lit by purple lighting.
Wesley Dykes at The Kingdom Come 7. Credit – Nelly Naylor (2023)
Two South East Asian people smile with open mouths up at the stage. The woman is wearing a headscarf
Credit – Nelly Naylor (2023)
Shardeazy Afrodesiak, a mixed race drag ting with strong beard and quiff smiles onstage wearing a gold and black blazer
Shardeazy Afrodesiak at The Kingdom Come 7. Credit – Nelly Naylor (2023)

Drag King Open Call

drag king open call

We’re excited to announce an opportunity for drag kings and things to perform at The Kingdom Come #7 on the 29 June!

This open call is aimed at those who have less than 18 months experience performing as their drag character.

You’ll be expected to perform one act no longer than 6 minutes long, at our drag king cabaret, The Kingdom Come, Pride is a Protest Edition on Thur 29 June at Crookes Social Club. We’ll need you at the venue for tech by 4pm on the day of the event. 

In return we’ll pay you a fee of £75 and send you a set of photos of your performance, taken by a professional photographer, and you get to feel the love of our supportive community. 

Who can apply?

> Drag kings or gender expansive drag acts 
> With 18 months or less experience performing as their drag act
> Who are based in Yorkshire or the North of England
> Who are able to commit to the date and times above

We will not consider applications from acts based in locations other than Yorkshire or the North of England, Northern talent to the front please! (We consider Northern talent to be inclusive of the East and West Midlands).

This is a great opportunity to have your act seen by a large and enthusiastic audience. Your act should be suitable for performing on a raised stage to a seated audience of 300 people. We are sorry that there is currently no step free access to the stage.

To apply, please complete the short Google Form and attach a video file or share a link to a short video of your drag act. 

Deadline for submission – Midday 6 June

drag king Mark Anthony performs in aviator sunglasses and leather biker jacket
Are you ready to perform on our stage like Mark Anthony?

We will be in touch with the chosen act by Friday 9 June. We are unable to give feedback to unsuccessful submissions, but we may keep your details on file for future bookings.

We look forward to hearing from you. If you have any questions about this opportunity please drop us a line to hello@androandeve.com. Please note, we are a team that works part time so the best way to reach us is by email and there may be a delay in us responding. 

FAQ’s

I am not a drag king, can I apply?
Sorry no, The Kingdom Come is strictly for drag kings and drag acts existing beyond the binary. We programme other types of performance and drag queens at our other events.

I’ve never performed as my drag king before, can I apply?
Given the scale of this event and audience size, we are looking for acts who have some performance experience but are looking to take their act onto a different size stage and appear on a bigger platform. Therefore we do expect you will have some experience of performing as your drag king or thing.

I am based in an unspecified location, but there is a lack of opportunities for local drag acts, can I apply?
We are fiercely proud of being based in South Yorkshire and celebrating queer culture. We want to support more acts from the North of England. Acts based in Yorkshire will be prioritised over other areas in the North, where opportunities may be available through our friends who also make up the Queer Arts North Network.

What other opportunities will there be for newer or non king acts to appear on one of your stages?
Our open mic slots at A Reyt Queer Do are more suited to those brand new to performing and are also a place where we programme a diverse range of performance styles. Sign up to our newsletter below to be first to hear of further opportunities this Autumn.

Administration Assistant – Part Time

A black femme presenting person with blue Afro hair wears a black PVC mini dress and smiles on a mix in front of a crowd of people. She is lit by purple lighting.

We’re excited to share that we’re looking to recruit a part time Administration Assistant on a fixed term basis to support the day to day operations of the organisation. 

The Administration Assistant will support all areas of our work, with a focus on operational support of our Gender Awareness Training and financial administration.

If you have experience of providing administrative support, are confident working with numbers and have a good attention to detail, then this role could be for you. 

Contract: 12 month Fixed Term. Part Time. 
Hours: 7.5 hours per week. Flexible
Salary: £23,000 pro rata
Dates: Mid April 2023 – to be negotiated.
Location: Sheffield and remote working 

If you’re interested in applying, download the recruitment pack. Inside you’ll find further information about Andro and Eve, the role and how to apply, along with contact details should you have any questions about the role. 

As well as supporting a wide range of artists, our team have lived experiences that enable them to support inclusive practices. We particularly encourage applications from those currently under-represented within the UK arts sector, including those of Black, Asian or global majority ethnicities, those who have faced socio – economic barriers, those who identify as LGBTQI+ and those who are disabled or neurodiverse.

We welcome applications from a variety of educational backgrounds and work experiences. You do not need degree level education for this role. 

Application Deadline: 9am Monday 20th March.

Interview date: Tuesday 4 April

Start Date: 18 April (though this is flexible)

When applying for the role we also ask you to complete our online Equal Opportunities form. A link for this is also in the recruitment pack.

We look forward to hearing from you.

FAQ’s

To help those of you who might have read the application pack, here are some of the most commonly asked questions.

Can the role be worked only remotely?
While we do offer flexible working, as an organisation proudly based in South Yorkshire, we do try to hold some meetings in person at our base in Sheffield. Therefore the ability to attend these, and travel to Sheffield is part of the ask we make of employees.

How flexible are you with working days?
As this is is a part time role we understand you will have other committments. We just ask that you be able to allocate some of your working hours to Tuesdays OR Fridays to enable you to work with current colleagues’ working hours.

I only have one reference, is this an issue?
We ask for references in order that we can check that the experience you have outlined in your application has been gained in a previous role. As stated in the recruitment pack, this does not need to be a paid role, or even an employment. They could be anyone who knows you in a professional or volunteer capacity. But they should be able to speak to things like your punctuality, reliability and know something about the skills you have related to this role.

It is important that we seek two references so we get a well rounded view of your past experience. We will not contact anyone without your consent.

Our 2023 Community Survey!

The words, community survey, are placed on the centre of a pink square tile. They are surrounded by triangle shapes in purple and yellow. The Andro and Eve logo sits at the top, whch features the words Andro and Eve in white, over a purple inverted triangle.

Andro and Eve’s programme is developed by listening to voices from our LGBTQ+ community. We always collect feedback from those who attend our events and workshops. Additionally, each year we undertake a survey to hear from those who might not have had the chance to have their say, and ask a wider range of questions to help us understand what matters to our community.

We are always keen to plan ahead reflecting on the views of the community which we serve. So if you have time, please do complete our 2023 Community Survey. Your opinions matter to us. It should take 5 – 10 minutes to complete.

If you leave your email address, we will enter you into a prize draw to win a bundle of Andro and Eve merch, including our black logo tee, postcards, pin badges and stickers plus new queer zine, Fresh Air!

Follow the link to have your say in our Community Survey! The form will close at midnight on 16 February.

a group of people in various elegant costumes pose and dance onstage with one person strutting their way onto the catwalk. The scene is lit by warm orange lighting
A Reyt Queer Extravaganza. 2022. Credit – Misha Warren

10 Highlights of 2022

a group of performers onstage strike poses and one holds a cardboard sign that says Queer Joy is Powerful

2022 was a big year for Andro and Eve, with the return to live events supported by a significant grant from Arts Council England the The Civic, Barnsley. In fact, so much has happened this year, we’re quite glad of our winter slow down, with time to reflect and plan.

We want to say a huge thank you to all the artists and freelancers we’ve worked with this year along with our volunteers and board for helping bring people together through queer culture. And a massive thank you to those who’ve supported our work by attending our events or workshops, buying a zine or some merch or sending us a donation. Links above if you want to do the same!

So in no particular order here are 10 highlights of 2022 for Andro and Eve!

1.Our first live cabaret event in 2.5 years – A Reyt Queer Do!

A drag performer with a blonde wig stands in the middle of a crowd of people in a bar with everyone in the crowd having their phone camera lights shining
A Reyt Queer Do. Credit – Sophie Okonkwo

Hosted by Sadie Sinner, with Rhys Pieces, Ditzy O Darlin and a cracking line up of emerging talent, everyone who came down to Sidney and Matilda had a great evening. Read more about the event here.

2. Drag Kings!

drag king Mark Anthony onstage smiling with sparkly eyebrows and brocade suit
Mark Anthony performing at The Kingdom Come 6. Credit – Dawn Kilner

From both our online drag king workshops with Christian Adore, to ALL our live events this year, and especially The Kingdom Come, an event designed solely to share the UK’s most exciting drag king talent, we were thrilled to be making space to platform these amazing artists, that too often get overlooked in the drag scene. Long live the kings!

3. Fresh Air Zine

An A5 zine with a cream cover sits on a lilac surface. The cover is covered in a flowing line drawing with blue, lime and yellow fill that seems to depict two abstract figures,

We worked with Site Gallery’s Society of Explorers to create a brand new zine, inspired by our Gender Awareness Training. Packed full of illustrations by artist Luci Pina its a gorgeous resource for young and older people alike. You can still get a copy for free here.

4. A Reyt Queer Extravaganza

a group of three black performers strike poses on a catwalk. The person in the centre wears a gold dress and has gold paper flowing from their body.
A Reyt Queer Extravaganza. Credit – Misha Warren

Our biggest ever event was a collaboration with Ghetto Fabulous, with our artistic director, Finn Warman, working closely with artistic director and choreographer Darren Pritchard to programme and produce this event featuring over 20 performers to an audience of 300 people at The Leadmill. Hosted by the legendary Rikki Beadle – Blair, to say it was an epic endeavour, but utterly worth it, is an understatement! Read more about the event here.

5. Forgeous

Through queer dance and movement workshops that we produced in collaboration with Ghetto Fabulous in June and July, new queer dance collective, Forgeous were forged in all their gloriousness. They then made their debut performance at A Reyt Queer Extravaganza. Hear more about their experience in this short film made by filmmaker Toni Lee.

6. Teamwork!

Finn and Martha stand onstage smiling and speaking.
Martha Adebambo and Finn Warman at A Reyt Queer Extravaganza. Credit – Misha Warren

2022 marked a year of Finn and Martha working together as a producing duo, and for a brief time our team grew with other freelancers joining to help produce and promote our work. Not to forget our amazing volunteers who helped everything run smoothly at our events and Doncaster Pride. Martha has now stepped back from their role as Assistant Producer, but will work with us on a more ad hoc basis in future. A huge thank you for all their contributions to Andro and Eve.

7. Gender Awareness Training

an androgynous white person with cropped brown hair sits at a table in front of a screen that has a projection it it. They have their arms outstretched in conversation and wear a grey Andro and Eve logo T shirt.

Our second year of delivering this bespoke session saw us training over 250 people throughout the UK and giving them the tools and confidence to better serve trans and gender expansive clients and audiences. We also recruited a brilliant team of freelance trainers who will be very busy in 2023 with more training sessions. Please get in touch if your team could benefit from this professional development opportunity. You can book for our open session the 1 February here.

8. Festival of Debate – The Transgender Issue with Shon Faye

In May our artistic director Finn hosted a Q&A as part of the Festival of Debate in Sheffield with renowned writer and author Shon Faye about her first book, The Transgender Issue. To see a crowd of gender diverse people and allies centre and listen to the very real issues affecting trans people today, and make space for trans joy, was a really wonderful highlight.

9. Queer Delight

Following an open call in the summer, we commissioned filmmaker Alexis Maxwell to make a short digital film. The resulting animated poem, Queer Delight is a pure joy to watch, and the audio described version was beautifully enriched by Adedamola Bajomo.

10. Our Community

A group of 4 people smile huddled together wearing some fantastic coats and lit by warm lighting.

We were so happy to welcome so many new faces to Andro and Eve events, with folk working with our Safer Spaces policy, and generally being so warm and friendly to everyone. It was also super heartwarming to have plenty familiar faces return to our audiences and to witness the joy of being together once more.

So thats our year in a snapshot – there’s plenty more we could mention, truly, its been a wild year, but we hope you’ve enjoyed taking a moment to reflect on whats been achieved and the fact that 6 years after our first event, we’re still here, still queer and making space to celebrate queer culture.

If you want to make sure you’re first to hear whats in store for 2023, then make sure you’re subscribed to our newsletter. The whims of social media platforms have been very much highlighted this year, so it’s more important than ever that we have other ways to stay connected!

Wishing you a peaceful and warm end to 2022 x

a group of people with their backs turned pose in a dance studio
Feeling Fabulous Workshop with Ghetto Fabulous. 2022. Credit – Emma Bentley – Fox

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