At Bishopsgate Institute
230 Bishopsgate
London EC2M 4QH

The Lesbian and Gay Newsmedia Archive (LAGNA), is holding a free event to acknowledge and commemorate the unsung heroes and heroines of LGBT activism, protest and cultural resistance, over the last four decades.

Speakers include:

Dr Matt Cook (Author and lecturer at Birkbeck College London) on the history of Queer protest.

Lindsay River (Performer and Activist) on protests in the lesbian-feminist movement in the 1970?s.

Ajamu X (Photographer and Curator of Rukus! - Black LGBT Archive) on Black LGBT activism in the 1980s and beyond.

Ian Lucas (Author and activist) on OutRage! and Act-Up in the 1990s.

Mike Wyeld (Lecturer and Film Maker) Contemporary trans cultural activism, showing excerpts from the film Lovers and Fighters.

Serge Nicholson and Jason Barker will be talking about Transfabulous, the organisation they founded to champion transgender arts and culture through festivals, conferences, parties and events.”

Attendance at the event is free, but RSVP is essential to reserve your place? Tea, coffee, wine and nibbles will be provided. There will also be a raffle with the chance to win a number of fabulous goodies!

For more information and to book a place, contact:

Stefan Dickers, Library Special Collections Manager

Stefan.Dickers@bishopsgate.org.uk

The Bishopsgate Institute
230, Bishopsgate
LONDON
EC2M 4QH

020 7392 9200
www.lagna.org.uk

The Lesbian and Gay Newsmedia Archive (LAGNA) is pleased to announce that it will be transferring from its present location at MiddlesexUniversity, to the Bishopsgate Institute, London, in January 2011. The Cat Hill campus at Middlesex is closing in June 2011 and the Bishopsgate Institute has offered the Archive a new home.

LAGNA is the UK's only national independent LGBT archive. It now holds nearly 200,000 press cuttings from the non-gay press. The collection reflects many aspects of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans-related life from the late nineteenth century onwards and is used by a wide range of researchers interested in cultural, political and social LGBT history.

Sarah Waters, award-winning author, says, “LAGNA is unique, a living, accessible archive offering wonderful glimpses of ordinary and extraordinary lives. It's an invaluable resource not just for historians of the lesbian and gay community, but for anyone interested in British social history. I am thrilled to know that it has found a new champion in the form of the Bishopsgate Institute, an establishment with a longstanding commitment to nurturing independent thought. Really, LAGNA and the Bishopsgate Institute: it's a civil partnership made in heaven!”

Robert Thompson, Chair of LAGNA says: “We're delighted about our move from the outskirts of north London to Bishopsgate Institute's more central location in the City. We especially look forward to the exhibitions and seminars we'll be able to put on in Bishopsgate's wonderful building. We anticipate a long and fruitful partnership and the continuing development of the collection for current and future generations.”

Stefan Dickers, Library Special Collections Manager, Bishopsgate Institute, says: "Bishopsgate Institute is delighted to have been chosen as the new home for the Lesbian and Gay Newsmedia Archive (LAGNA). The Institute is committed to providing access, promoting and developing the collection, and to guaranteeing that this unique and invaluable resource on LGBT history flourishes and is available to researchers of all backgrounds for generations to come."

Roy Clare, MLA Chief Executive, says, "The Lesbian and Gay Newsmedia Archive (LAGNA) plays a vital role in holding stories of the past that can help build understanding and learning for the future. I am delighted that these unique resources have found an exciting new home at the Bishopsgate Institute, where a recent redevelopment project has revitalised public access and created a stimulating context."

LAGNA will be moving to the Bishopsgate Institute on 19^th January 2011 and will be accessible to researchers soon after that date. The archive is open to all and a research service can be offered to those who can't make a visit in person. LAGNA is managed by a dedicated team of volunteers and is always looking for new recruits.

A launch event will take place on 22nd February 2011 (during LGBT History Month) at the Bishopsgate Library to celebrate LAGNA's new home. More info to follow.

A full version of this abridged press release can be emailed to you by writing to enquiry@lagna.org.uk and requesting the 'Moving to Bishopsgate Press Release'.

Unfortunately Middlesex University were no longer able to house the collection as the Cat Hill campus is due to close in July 2011.

The Bishopsgate Institute stepped in to offer LAGNA a new home and after visiting the historic and extremely well organised facility we jumped at the chance of moving there! It truly is a magical environment and the move will afford LAGNA a secure and exciting future. The new facilities available to LAGNA will allow for greater accessibility and an opportunity to promote the collection in new and more varied ways.

We will be hosting an official launch at the new venue in February and more news on that to follow.

A full press release is available by emailing enquiry@lagna.org.uk and an abridged version will be on the website over the coming days.

This is a great start to 2011 for the archive and we hope you all manage to benefit from the new location and facilities.

LAGNA has recently received from David Morgan Rees an extremely kind bequest of books from the estate of his late partner.

Section 28 - Hiding Homosexuality

An evening of music, talks, exhibitions, headlines and TV footage. Our aim was to deconstruct the events that took place 20 years ago and find out how they still affect us today. We also held a fundraising raffle and launched our new website (developed by SAV.co.uk). Sponsorship for the event was provided by IPincubator - developed by Concept Innovation Ltd (see more below).

Programme of events for the evening included

You can visit our sponsor's websites (by clicking on their names above) to read more about the services they offer.