Classes
14 February 2026: History of LGBTQIA+ Activism - and What It Teaches Us
21 February 2026: Art and Activism
28 February 2026: Queer Cultural Icons.
For more specific details on each class, see Class Details below.
Practical information
- You can choose to purchase either a full course ticket (£82/£44) or a single session ticket for the first class (£29/£19). Single session tickets for the remainder of the course will only become available after the first class and are subject to availability.
- Online ticket sales will close two hours prior to the event starting.
- If sales have closed and you would still like to attend, to enquire about availability please contact our Box Office team via 020 73929200. If spaces remain we can arrange payment over the phone.
- These sessions are live only and will not be recorded. Attendees must join at the scheduled time, as recordings will not be made available after the event.
What can I expect?
These classes are taught through presentations (PowerPoint on shared screen) video clips and discussions. Discussion sections are optional, but allow participants to reflect on the material and their own experiences.
Joining via Zoom
These classes will be held via Zoom. You need a computer/laptop or mobile phone to access the Zoom website, and a reliable internet connection.
Need to Know
Meet the Tutor
Dr Emily Garside
Emily Garside is a writer and professional nerd based in Cardiff. She has a PhD in theatrical responses to the AIDS crisis and is a leading expert on LGBTQ+ theatre. Emily regularly writes for journals such as The Queer Review, American Theatre, and Wales Art Review. She published her first non-fiction book ‘Love That Journey For Me: The Queer Revolution of Schitt's Creek’ in 2021 with 404ink. This was followed by ‘Angels in America at the British National Theatre’ in 2022 (McFarland). While 2023 sees ‘Seasons of Love, why Rent Matters’ (Applause), ‘Schitt’s Creek and the Rise of Queer TV’ (Applause), and ‘From Queer as Folk to It’s A Sin; Russell T Davies and Queer TV’ (Calon Books). She is also a journalist, a regular contributor for The Queer Review and has written for American Theatre, Slate, BBC, and The Stage. She also uses her research and lived experience to tell queer stories through fiction, having had several plays performed in London and nationally.
Class Details
14/02/26 - History of LGBTQIA+ Activism - and what it teaches us
Times are troubling for the LGBTQIA+ community; legislation feels like it’s returning to decades past. So what can we learn from the LGBTQIA+ activism of decades past? This talk looks at the history of activism, from Stonewall to lesser-known protests and campaigners, to consider what we can learn from the past for the future of LGBTQIA+ activism.
21/02/26 - Art and Activism
A look at the role cultural and artistic responses have played in activism. From performance integrated into traditional activism, to the use of theatre and performance as an activist platform, through to film, TV and literature. Looking at how LGBTQIA+ creatives have used their art form over the decades to further their activist cause.
28/02/26 - Queer Cultural Icons
‘You can’t be what you can’t see, ’ and for many years, our Queer heroes were hidden, coded, hiding in plain sight. Now our Queer Icons can fly their flags across all manner of work- from politics, to performing, to sport and more.
In this session, we look at the Queer Icons who have shaped our collective cultural history- from those offering coded, hidden insight to who they are, to those flying the flag today. We will discuss the changing visibility across different sectors, and the impact both collectively and personally of our Queer Icons.
What We Do
