We’re reyt chuffed to be providing some open mic slots for emerging acts at A Reyt Queer Do 6 on Sunday 12 June. This queer cabaret event, is our belated 5th birthday celebration, and is at Sidney and Matilda in Sheffield city centre.
This event, hosted by scene legend, Sadie Sinner is about platforming emerging queer performance talent. Whether you’re a new act, or you have new work you want to test out in front of a friendly live audience, we’d love to hear from you.
Drag, comedy, clowning, queerlesque, song, anything goes, as long as it will entertain. In return for you performing one 3 – 5 minute act we’ll provide refreshments and up to £50 to reimburse any expenses. You’ll also receive a few photos of you performing shot by a professional photographer. We just need you to be available from 3.30pm on the day of the event.
To apply for one of our open mic slots, please send us
The name of your act
Where you are based
How much experience you have (no experience is fine, but its good to know)
Your act’s tagline ( if you have one)
Your act’s bio – this is more relevant for drag, but it should give us an idea of your stage persona, and what’s important to them.
A 2 – 5 minute video showing us an extract of your act or performance. If there is already a video online of you performing this act somewhere, you can send us the link.
We understand the pandemic means you might not have had any performance opportunities before, so if the video is you sharing your talents at home, thats fine! We’re just looking for people who will entertain our crowd. More information on the access provisions in the venue can be found here.
Send the above info to hello@androandeve.com
Deadline to apply: 10am Wednesday 1st June. Priority for slots will go to those based in Yorkshire. We look forward to hearing from you! If you have any questions please drop us a line.
We’re delighted to share news of two exciting new roles for Andro and Eve!
We are looking to recruit both a Freelance Producer and Freelance Marketing and Communications Assistant who are familiar with South Yorkshire and the North of England.
We have secured funding from Arts Council England and match funding from The Civic, Barnsley, and the University of Sheffield. This is supporting a programme of arts and culture activity happening in Sheffield and South Yorkshire between May – October 2022.
This encompasses online drag king workshops, queer dance and movement workshops, two cabaret events, and a large scale mixed performance event featuring LGBTQ+ artists from across the North of England. The latter is a collaboration with Manchester’s Ghetto Fabulous. Further details about our current programme can be found on our website and in this blog.
Freelance Producer Role
Andro and Eve is looking to work with a Producer on a freelance basis with a strong set of skills and experiences and a commitment to care centered working practices.
We use the term ‘producer’ to mean someone who makes things happen. In other industries, they are often referred to as project managers, or coordinators. This role will assist with the work of programme production, which includes monitoring, evaluation and some marketing. The Freelance Producer will support with all production activities across the programme outlined above, and some related to the general activities of the organisation.
This freelance role is designed to both increase the capacity of Andro and Eve to deliver our programme and to give someone with producing or project management experience the opportunity to develop specialist knowledge and further understanding of a community focused arts organisation.
Contract – Freelance
Fee – £210 per day x 15 days
Benefits – Accessibility Training given
Contract Period – Between 18 Jul – 6 November 2022
If you like making live events happen, bringing people together and are committed to working in ways that are equitable and prioritise care, then this opportunity could be for you.
Freelance Marketing and Communications Assistant Role
Andro and Eve is looking to work with a Marketing Assistant on a freelance basis who is familiar with South Yorkshire and the North of England, with an enthusiasm for and skills in marketing.
The freelance Marketing and Communications Assistant will support with all marketing, outreach and communications activities across the programme outlined above, and those related to the general activities of the organisation. This role is designed to give someone with some marketing experience the opportunity to develop specialist skills and knowledge.
Contract – Freelance
Fee – £130 per day x 12 days
Benefits – Accessibility Training given
Contract period – Between 12 July – 31 October 2022
If you love social media, sharing a message with a wider audience, and connecting people and communities, then this opportunity could be for you.
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 other Global Majority ethnicities, those who have faced socio – economic barriers, those who identify as LGBTQI+ and those who are disabled or neurodiverse.
To find out more about the roles and apply, please download the relevant job pack. You are welcome to apply for both opportunities if you wish, but please consider the responsibilities of the role and where your skills are best suited.
Freelance Marketing Assistant Role – Deadline for Applications: 9am Tue 28 June
Freelance Producer Role – Deadline for Applications: 9am Fri 1st July
Feel Fabulous with Ghetto Fabulous. Skimpy clothing not a requirement though!
On three Tuesdays in June, you can join dancers from Ghetto Fabulous to explore queer movement. You will learn to werk a runway, whether you sissy that walk or turn out the trade! Alongside walking you’ll have space to explore finding your own picture perfect poses and style. Use the killa soundtrack to tap into the fierce fabulousness that’s inside of you just screaming to get out.
Wear what ever will make you feel fabulous, just remember you’ll need to be able to dance and move!
If you’re in Sheffield, you’ll need to head to the Montgomery Theatre, where we’ll be taking over the dance studio on the 7th, 14th, and 21st June. If you’re in Barnsley, three sessions will be held on Wednesdays 8th, 15th, 22nd June at The Civic.
These sessions are designed to build the confidence and skills of those new to dance and are open to everyone. You just need to book in advance so we can keep an eye on numbers.
A second block of three workshops will take place on Tuesdays 12, 19, 26 July in Sheffield at the Montgomery Theatre. These extra free sessions are designed to enable participants from the June workshops in both Barnsley and Sheffield to come together and develop their performance skills and form collectives. The collectives will perform together at Andro and Eve’s Reyt Queer Extravaganza, alongside Ghetto Fabulous, and performers from across the North of England, on Saturday 30th July at The Leadmill, Sheffield.
Strike a pose!
Whether you feel super confident about moving your body, or need space to bring you out of your shell, we encourage you to come along to these sessions to meet new members of your queer family, and get inspired and creative. If you attend the June sessions theres no obligation to attend the July workshops, but the July dates are aimed primarily at those who’ve come along to at least one or two of the June sessions.
Party Pals is a scheme designed to help solo partygoers meet new pals
We’ve listened to our community feedback (thank you to everyone who completed our most recent community survey) and have a new scheme designed to help make our in person events more accessible!
We realise that sometimes, you want to attend an event, but for whatever reason, you’re flying solo but you’d rather have some pals to meet! Thats where our new scheme Party Pals comes in!
Make some new pals via our Party Pals scheme!
You can get involved by simply completing our Access Form and asking to be part of the Party Pals scheme. Then you’ll need to arrive fairly soon after doors open on the night of the event, and we’ll invite you to join our dedicated Party Pals space so you have the chance to meet other folks. Our friendly volunteers will be on hand to make introductions.
Our newest event A Reyt Queer Do 6 will be our first roll out of this idea, so if you grab tickets for the event, you can complete the access form and get involved! We hope its the start of more connection for our community through our events.
We are super excited to share that we have received Arts Council funding enabling us to produce a programme of live events and talent development opportunities in South Yorkshire this summer.
In a new partnership with The Civic, Barnsley, we will be collaborating closely with Manchester’s Ghetto Fabulous, to bring Sheffield a ‘Reyt Queer Extravaganza’ this July. What’s that? – we hear you cry! Well…
A Reyt Queer Extravaganza, hosted by writer, director and actor, Rikki Beadle Blair, will showcase some of South Yorkshire’s most exciting queer performance talent, as well as dancers and drag artists from across the North of England, alongside community participants who want to show off their fabulous selves.
Ghetto Fabulous. Credit Fotocad.
In the run up to A Reyt Queer Extravaganza, due to take place iconic Sheffield venue, The Leadmill* on the 30 July, Andro and Eve and Ghetto Fabulous will host a series of ‘Feeling Fabulous’ workshops for members of the LGBTQ+ community to participate in. These will happen in both Barnsley and Sheffield. The aim of these workshops is to help participants feel more confident, gain some dance and performance skills, and develop a short performance to be showcased at the Reyt Queer Extravaganza.
We’ll also be bringing our drag king cabaret, The Kingdom Come back to Sheffield in October. Plus another edition of queer cabaret, A Reyt Queer Do in June, which platforms emerging queer performance talent, as well as hosting online drag king workshops in May with drag king Christian Adore, and a Gender Exploration workshop at The Civic in June.
A Reyt Queer Do will be back later this year – Credit Ndrika Anyika
Finn Warman, Artistic Director for Andro and Eve says; ‘We’re absolutely delighted to be back producing accessible events to celebrate queer culture where everyone is welcome. Through the pandemic, we’ve continued to bring our community together with online workshops and smaller in person events. However, we’ve not been able to produce the scale of events we were known for before 2020’.
Finn continues, ‘We’ve been in talks for a long time with Ghetto Fabulous to bring to Sheffield the sort of events you’d see in Manchester, and are just so chuffed to have secured the funding that will allow us to do this and make this work accessible. We’re also really excited to be able to provide larger platforms for South Yorkshire queer artists and space for the LGBTQ+ community to come together and celebrate their resilience and joy. Our offer also includes digital engagement, enabling those more comfortable with online activity, to engage with our programme’.
The Kingdom Come will be back in Sheffield this September. Image credit Ndrika Anyika.
David Sinclair, Head of Visual Arts and Engagement at The Civic says ‘The Civic is really excited to be partnering with Andro & Eve and Ghetto Fabulous on this landmark queer event for South Yorkshire. Part of our organisation’s core values is to amplify the voices of those typically marginalised in the arts. Therefore, we are delighted to be able to provide these events and workshops to offer an amazing platform for our home grown queer talent, as well as providing opportunities for our LGBTQ+ community to develop new skills but more importantly celebrate queer joy and have fun!’
The Andro and Eve community together in 2018. Credit Ndrika Anyika.
Alongside this programme of work, we’re super excited to announce our first project for teenagers in South Yorkshire, in a partnership with Site Gallery. In collaboration with Site Gallery’s young people’s group, Society of Explorers, we’ll be producing a new zine themed around our Gender Awareness Training, which aims to help organisations and groups build more inclusive practices for transgender and gender expansive people. An open call for participants aged 14 – 18 will be announced soon.
We want to hear from queer performance artists living in South Yorkshire that may want to be part of our events in 2022. Keep an eye on our social media channels for further artist opportunities and freelance roles to be announced soon. Tickets for A Reyt Queer Extravaganza will go on sale at the start of May. Make sure you’ve signed up to our newsletter to bag early bird discounted tickets for what promises to be a night to remember!
Thank you all those who have supported us throughout the last two years. It has taken a lot of effort to survive through the pandemic, and bring this programme to fruition. But we’re so excited to be back to live events and we can’t wait to see you soon!
*make sure you’ve also signed the petition to save the Leadmill and change Section 25 of the Landlord and Tenant Act.
As a member of LGBT+ Consortium we wholeheartedly support their stance and the position of Stonewall to boycott the ‘Safe to be Me’ conference in response to the Government’s U turns on the banning of conversion therapy here in the UK. Read their full statement here.
A quick recap in case this is news – the Government said they would ban conversion therapy for LGBT+ people. Then last week they said they would not. Then they decided they would, but not for transgender and non binary people. Appalling.
The ‘Safe to Be Me’ conference was to be the UK’s first global LGBT+ conference bringing together organisations and governments from across the world seeking to advance the rights of LGBTQ+ people. You can read more about it here.
LGBT Consortium have had over 125 LGBTQ+ and ally organisations send their support for the withdrawal from this conference until the UK Government includes transgender people in the ban on conversion therapy. This includes Andro & Eve.
Allies – what can you do? Write to your MP urgently! Ask them to put pressure on the government to reverse this decision and give trans people the same protections as LGB people. The link above will take you to Stonewall’s website where you’ll find a template. Trans rights are under attack here in 2022. Trans and non binary people need your active support now.
We stand with our trans and gender expansive siblings and all those who oppose this injustice. With love, Andro and Eve x
We’ve launched a new Community Survey to help us listen to our LGBTQ+ community.
As we emerge from the pandemic we are keen to plan events and activities using the views of the LGBTQ+ community which we serve. You might be ready to attend huge in person events again, or an online workshop is more your thing. Or is there something we haven’t yet delivered you want to see? Let us know!
If you leave your email address you’ll be entered into a prize draw to win a bundle of Andro and Eve merchandise including one of our logo tote bags, badges, stickers and postcard pack. The winner will also receive a copy of our most recent zine, Joyful Noise, plus a copy of queer words anthology, We Were Always Here. A runner up will win a logo tote bag of their choice.
Win all these goodies by completing our Community Survey!
The survey takes just 5 – 8 mins to complete and we’d love to hear from you. Closes midnight on 18th April.
We are looking to recruit one or two freelance Gender Awareness Trainers based in the North of England with a strong set of skills and experiences.
Contract – Freelance
Fee – £300 per day
Benefits – Training given including shadowing
Contract period – ongoing.
The Gender Awareness Trainer/s will facilitate our Gender Awareness Training. This is a bespoke, interactive training session we have developed and designed, which we deliver for a range of clients across the North of England and the UK. Its aim is to help organisations better meet the needs of audiences, service users and clients who are transgender or gender expansive. Find out more here.
A really informative and useful session with practical examples of things you can change both personally and within your organisation to be more inclusive.
– Previous Training Participant
This freelance role is designed to both increase the capacity of Andro and Eve to deliver Gender Awareness Training and to give an experienced facilitator the opportunity to develop specialist skills and knowledge. Training will be provided.
If you have experience of delivering workshops or training sessions, want to develop your skills and work with an arts organisation committed to tackling structural inequality, then this opportunity could be for you.
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 other Global Majority ethnicities, those who have faced socio – economic barriers, those who identify as LGBTQI+ and those who are disabled or neurodiverse.
While our training offer is available for companies across the UK, and we frequently deliver online sessions, we tend to mostly work with clients based in Yorkshire and the North of England. Therefore the ability to travel easily to locations in South and West Yorkshire and the North of England is important.
You’ll find everything you need to know about the role and how to apply in the job pack. Should you have any questions or would like to have an informal conversation about the role before applying, there are further details in this pack about this.
New for 2022, we’re taking bookings for our Gender Awareness Training!
On February 8th we’re delivering an online Gender Awareness Training aimed at freelancers, individuals and smaller organisations. You can book a place here.
This session is designed to pass on knowledge and best practice enabling your team to better serve and meet the needs of clients, customers and service users of all genders, particularly those who fall under the Transgender umbrella.
Drawing upon our extensive experience in meeting the needs of the LGBTQIA community in creating safe and inclusive events, this session covers;
Context. Where are we at with Trans Rights in the UK?
Terminology. Words have impact. We explore definitions and when to use.
Best practice. Looking at case studies and practical steps to implement, in order to be inclusive of transgender and gender diverse people.
Sharing experiences. Stories help us make sense of the world. We use practical exercises to help develop understanding.
We cover topics including, language, intersectionality, non binary identities, gender in a global context, feminism, LGBTQ+ herstory and transgender health and equality and the law.
In doing so you will;
Feel more confident in your knowledge of the experiences of people who identify as LGBTQ+.
Understand what gender inclusive language is and when to use.
Understand the practical steps to help build gender inclusive practices and spaces.
Take away your own resource sheet with content covered in the session along with further advice and resources.
It was an informative, inspiring and thought provoking session with a friendly facilitator! Thanks!
– Previous Training Participant
This online training session is designed as 2.5 hour session which is inclusive of a 10 minute break. Places are limited in order to facilitate meaningful group discussions. We are offering places on a sliding scale depending on your individual or organisation’s income level.
This training is delivered by Andro and Eve’s Artistic Director Finn Warman who has 12 years experience leading CPD sessions and training for education professionals, artists, and higher education students. Found out more about Finn here.
If you have any questions about this session, please feel free to get in touch. Our Gender Awareness training is still available to book for organisations. Find out more about our bookable Gender Awareness Training here.
Last week you may have seen the news that Theatre Deli Sheffield have been served notice to leave by their landlord. As Andro and Eve’s key partner organisation, this news also has a big impact on us. We wanted to provide some clarity on where we’re at.
Theatre Deli’s business model is based on ‘meanwhile use’ of buildings, meaning they get to occupy buildings for cheaper rates than commercial lets, but usually with a 30 day notice period to vacate. That’s why they will be gone from their current building on Eyre street by the start of January.
Although Theatre Deli plan to find new premises, this could take some time.
Use of Theatre Deli Sheffield formed part of our plans to come back to larger scale live events in 2022 (hello Reyt Queer Do!) so without use of their wonderful, accessible space, we are currently shifting those plans and seeing what alternatives there are. In the last 18 months we’ve loved delivering a whole range of online activity including workshops, panel events and craft socials, along with our zines, Joyful Noise and Centre, but we are also determined to be able to have a larger scale in person offer in the next year.
Online drag king workshops. July 2020
Sheffield has a long standing problem with provision of accessible, centrally located venues for culture and community activity. If many of the organisations, artists and festivals lose access to Theatre Deli Sheffield owing to those issues, even for a period of 6 months, this has a huge impact on the cultural landscape of the city.
Theatre Deli Sheffield has made its name by supporting emerging artists, platforming marginalised voices, and making space for communities not otherwise served in the city. We very much hope that new space is found for this treasured venue.
A Reyt Queer Do, Theatre Deli Sheffield. 2019
For us, they’ve been champions of the work of Andro and Eve since 2017, becoming our partner venue in 2018. We are indebted to the support of the whole team at Deli for making Andro and Eve feel so welcome, and supported. Support that included free venue hire, space for meetings, reviewing funding applications and morale boosting when times got tough.
We very much hope we can continue this partnership, and that Deli find a suitable venue to carve out space for many communities and artists in Sheffield. However, if there is one thing this pandemic has taught us, it is that we need to be flexible and adapt. So we’re currently reviewing other options for larger events in 2022 in order that we can return with a bang! This means extra work, so timescales will move. It means Andro & Eve needs more time to rejig funding applications.
Sveto Slava, Reyt Queer Do. Nov 20219
So why are we sharing this? Because we need your support. We are not out of this pandemic. Our business model of producing events and creative opportunities is still precarious, and while we have managed to curate and produce a whole range of activity throughout the last 18 months, we don’t have the resources of a more established organisation.
So if you can spare funds, we’re asking you to donate. You can do so via the button above. Or buy some of our queer merch! Those donations and sales will help cover our overheads (IT, insurance, licenses, wages, etc) while we apply for more funding to make 2022 a year packed full of joyful queer events. It takes a huge amount of energy to plan, prepare and submit those funding bids, but they are the most effective way to ensure we can return to live events and provide meaningful opportunities for artists and our wonderful community to celebrate queer culture.
As always, any support given is gratefully received and makes a real and vital difference. Because of you, we’re still here, still queer, still making space. And we’re determined to continue. We hope you enjoy the photos of past events at Theatre Deli Sheffield below!
Big love
Finn
The crowd at Reyt Queer Do 5, at Theatre Deli Sheffield. November 2019
Bad Lay Dee, Reyt Queer Do 5. Nov 2019
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