The relationship between music and LGBTQ+ activism has been foundational, shaping social spaces and fundraising that sustained services. For example, the LGBT Foundation traces part of its origin to fundraising discos that helped pay for a Helpline in Manchester half a century ago. That history set the stage for a public celebration on Thursday 9 October 2026, when the organisation teamed up with the John Rylands Library to stage a night focused on how songs and soundtracks have kept communities connected.
The evening fused joy and learning: a live DJ, retro photography, illuminated archive items and a museum tour combined with an open call for personal favourites. Guests were invited to nominate the tracks that had marked pivotal moments in their lives — pieces of music that act as emotional landmarks. Those submissions became the core of a shared listening resource meant to preserve and extend the cultural memory of LGBTQ+ communities in the North West and beyond.
The night at John Rylands Library
The programme at the library balanced celebration with historical context. On the decks, DJ Vicky (AllFM) mixed well-known and lesser-heard LGBTQ+ anthems, creating a soundtrack that threaded contemporary optimism with echoes of past struggles. Attendees enjoyed a vintage photobooth that offered playful snapshots and a chance to record presence, while selected items from the archives revealed how music was woven into activism. The event also included a curated tour of The Secret Public: LGBTQ Pop 1955 – 1985, giving visitors a chance to see objects and ephemera that connected popular song to public organising.
What visitors experienced
Attendees moved between listening, looking and talking: the photobooth produced immediate keepsakes, the DJ set provided a communal rhythm, and the archive treasures brought documentary depth. Conversations sprang up about how particular songs function as markers of identity and resistance. The atmosphere was deliberately inclusive, inviting people of different generations to exchange memories. By situating upbeat music alongside historical artefacts, the evening highlighted how pleasure, protest and community-building have long been entwined in LGBTQ+ life.
Gathering queer anthems into a community playlist
A central feature of the night was collecting people’s chosen songs — the tracks they described as emblematic of their lives. Guests submitted their picks, explaining whether a tune recalled a first safe space, a moment of solidarity, or a future-facing sense of hope. From these contributions the organisers compiled the community playlist, designed as a living archive that captures both personal stories and collective values. The playlist functions as a sonic record of what participants value: identity, memory and celebration all encoded into music.
Community Playlist Live and partnership supporters
Community Playlist Live formed part of LGBT Foundation’s 50th Anniversary work and was made possible by several partners. The project received funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and sponsorship from Barefoot Wine, supported on the night by Pride in Ageing and the Recovery Team. These collaborations helped the organisers bring together archival expertise, public programming and a format that foregrounded community input. The combined effort ensured that individual song choices would be preserved within a broader narrative of activism and cultural continuity.
Legacy, thanks and wider context
The celebration is part of a wider initiative titled 50 Years of Queer Hope and Joy, supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players, the project has explored and shared stories of LGBTQ+ communities and activism from 1975 to the present day. By foregrounding music, oral testimony and curated objects, the initiative aims to make heritage accessible and emotionally resonant. The event at John Rylands Library reaffirmed that musical culture is not merely entertainment but a tool for sustaining services like the Helpline, fostering intergenerational dialogue and keeping community memory alive.
Continuing the conversation
As the playlist circulates and the archives remain available, organisers invite people to keep submitting songs and stories so the record grows. The night at the library was a reminder that archives and parties can work together: both preserve the past and animate present connections. Through partnerships, funding and grassroots participation, the project illustrates how music remains a powerful connector for identity, activism and joy within LGBTQ+ communities.