Hackney virtual Pride festival launches for budding LGBTQ+ creatives
Feel The Vibe is one of the events showcasing LGBTQ+ people in the creative industries. - Credit: Petok Productions
A five day virtual Pride festival, aimed at empowering and celebrating racially minoritized LGBTQ+ people, kicks off today (June 28).
Hackney's Petok Productions, a women, and non-binary led production company recognising women and non-binary people working behind the screen, launched the free-to-attend virtual festival to encourage LGBTQ+ people from minority and marginalised groups into the creative industries.
Founder of Petok Productions and Hackney resident, Pembe Tokluhan, said: "I have created the Inquiring Festival to celebrate, inform and empower racially minoritized LGBTQ+ people aged 18 to 30.
"It's important for me to create safer spaces for young LGBTQ+ people to come together and support them on how to navigate their way through society’s complex web of inequality, bias and discrimination."
The events programme includes a panel talk from Mighty Hoopla, the UK's most inclusive festival, a performance workshop by POC queer musician and choreographer Tylor Deyn and a discussion and anonymous Q&A with Veronica McKenzie - a writer, director and budding historian.
The festival was created in collaboration with Clod Ensemble, the Halley space, Discover Young Hackney, Desire Paths, Rising Tide and Hackney Council.
Daniel Yomi Asaya will be speaking at a panel event at Inquiring Festival called, No Question is a Silly Question. - Credit: Petok Productions
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There will also be a lyric & creative writing workshop, podcast, performances and a live DJ stream.
Pembe added: "With each event we aim to highlight, embrace and champion LGBTQ+ people by either giving them a platform, giving insights into the creative industry, exploring career options, celebrating the fantastic progress made so far and identifying areas where we still need improvement."
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Pembe is a multidisciplinary back stage creative who has worked in some of the UK's most iconic venues. Pembe also co-founded Generation Uncovered, an informal association of young composers, vocalists, musicians, performers, producers, promoters, technicians and digital media makers, immersed in creative practice and pursuing careers in the creative and cultural industries.
Inclusive Festival runs June 28 to July 2. For more information visit www.inquiringfestival.co.uk
Pembe with Frank Sweeney. - Credit: Pembe Tokluhan
