Culture And Memory

Footprints of Love: An LGBTQ+ Living Archive of Newham

We aim to uncover, preserve and celebrate Newham's vibrant LGBTQ+ heritage from the 1960s onwards. Through oral histories, a documentary, digital/physical archives, and walking tours - We will amplify and share stories that have been untold/forgotten/hidden, expanding on the success of our 2024 Newham Heritage Month pilot project. This project builds on traditional queer archiving by prioritising recovery, emotional resonance and intersectionality. It nurtures community-centred approaches, enabling LGBTQ+ individuals to shape their narratives. Our “living archive” will be physically housed and publicly accessible at Newham Heritage Service, and a curated exhibition will tour youth zones/libraries/community centres; It will be globally accessible through a website, documentary, oral histories. Newham hosts the highest proportion of transgender people in England & Wales (2021 Census), in the face of rising LGBTQ+ hate crimes - we celebrate diversity and resilience - by building a shared cultural identity, in these challenging times and beyond.