PRIDE at Warwick 2024
University of Warwick's FREE PRIDE Festival!
Fri 14 June
12.30pm - 1.30pm - Workshop "Strike a pose by Eric Scutaro"
Community stands, 2pm - 6pm
Main stage, 2pm - 8.30pm
Loud and Proud at the SU, 10pm - 2am
Piazza, Warwick Arts Centre & Students' Union, University of Warwick
Proudly supported by Glamorous Coventry - Coventry's premier LGBTQ+ Nightclub.
Organised in collaboration with the Students' Union, we're delighted to share our exciting line-up and can't wait to dance the evening away with you out under the (hopefully) glorious sunshine. Once the sun goes down, the party doesn't stop, tickets for a Pride special Loud and Proud at the SU are on sale now!
What's on?
With headliners from RuPaul's Drag Race UK gracing the stage, join our pride festival for a day of fun and frivolities. Headlined by the incredible Cheddar Gorgeous, with performances from Black Peppa, Bambi Bang Bang and more, it's guaranteed to be a sickening show you won't want to miss! We'll have food vans, community stalls, a rodeo bull, fairground activities, photobooth and more. Drag performers, singers, bands, and dancers will be performing on our very own stage, so come and join in with this FABULOUS event!
Anyone from the LGBTQ+ community or allies are welcome, so bring friends and family! #WeAllBelong
Cheddar Gorgeous
Headline Performance: 8pm - 8.30pm
Dr. Cheddar Gorgeous in conversation with Ibi Profane: 4pm - 4.30pm
Cheddar Gorgeous (A.K.A Dr Michael Atkins), is a Drag performer, visual artist and academic based in Manchester. A LEGEND in the UK drag scene in their own right for over 10 years, they were a finalist in Season 4 of RuPaul's Drag Race UK.
4pm - 4.30pm in Warwick Arts Centre Studio: Censorship, Compromise, and their Consequences: A Conversation with Ibi Profane (booked required)
8pm - 8.30pm - Performance on the main stage of the Piazza.
No booking required for the performance
Black Peppa
7.25pm - 7.55pm
Brummie bab, icon, legend and star of RuPaul's Drag Race UK Season 4, Black Peppa graces the main stage of Warwick University Pride.
The Caribbean Empress of Birmingham makes her way over to stun Warwick University with the high energy and jaw-dropping performance style she wowed the UK with in Drag Race UK. Recently, she performed at the Birmingham Symphony Hall, and she brings her iconic and inimitable style to Warwick University Pride.
Ibi Profane - Co-Host
Performance at 5.30pm
Coventry based drag artist, activist, and PhD Researcher at Warwick University, sharing main stage hosting duties with Bambi Bang Bang
Ibi Profane is one of the UK’s most unique and exciting performers of the past few years. Sharp as a stiletto, they take the concept of drag and flip it on its head. They are a hysterical and experienced host, bringing witty banter and championing the new and unusual. Don’t be surprised to see singing, circus acts, comedy and lip-syncing (often all at once!) at their shows.
Bambi Bang Bang - Co-Host
Performance at 6.50pm
Birmingham based burlesque and drag artist, sharing main stage hosting duties with Ibi Profane
Bambi Bang Bang is an elegant glamazon with a sultry, smoky voice. Don’t be fooled by her bubblegum smile and silver-screen charms, this diva has more bad jokes than your drunk uncle at a wedding.Grab a drink, get comfortable, and prepare for a sexy yet silly ride with this singing sensation and her raunchy sense of humour.
Séayoncé
6.15pm - 6.45pm
The award winning, legendary Ghost Whisperer Séayoncé is here! It’s time for things to get spooky with one of the country’s most prominent comedy cabaret acts this pride. Ghouls just want to have fun - it’s time you did too. She’s already seen the future; it's bound to be an occult classic!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Deadline: It’s “a hilarious, outrageous, and fabulously queer show”
Richard Energy
5.50pm - 6.10pm
King of Comedy Richard Energy(he/they) can be found gigging and hosting up and down the country. In the last year he has starred in a major theatre tour of Drag comedy show: “Death Drop” that ended with a hugely successful West End run. He starred in the major drag tour “The Main Event” which saw him touring and sharing stages with drag legends. His stand up and character comedy is sure to have you rolling in the aisles.
Kenya Knott
5.10pm - 5.25pm
Just a small town diva living in Birmingham, Kenya Knott is a name that when you’ve heard once, you never forget. She lights up any stage she graces with her splits, dips, tricks, and mesmerising face. Forever inspired by the beautiful melanin women who she grew up admiring, Kenya brings that sparkle to every single room she enters. Putting the (Queen) B in Brum, Kenya Knott is genuine city royalty for so much more than her looks and unbelievably shapely pins. Come and watch her and see for yourself!
Crip Ladywood
4.50pm - 5.10pm
Crip Ladywood is one of the UK's most famous disabled drag performers. He sings, hosts, jokes and brings love to the stage. A resident at the Village Inn and the Loft in Birmingham, he's travelled and performed nationally, he was featured recently in GayTimes as the future of UK Drag Kings, and his double act, Treble & Bass (with Tristan Treble) is going from strength to strength. As a genderqueer, bisexual, fat, neurodivergent, wheelchair user they bring their unique perspective to the drag world which touches on what it is to be queer, to be proud of one's existence, to struggle to access community, and the importance of finding and treasuring the moments of lightness and joy.
CatTina T Styles
4.35pm - 4.50pm
CatTina T Styles is an Irish queen residing in Coventry, who takes inspiration from some of your favourite pop divas to bring you hyper-feminised drag realness. She is also a high-intensity stunt queen; look out for kicks, flips and tricks whilst watching her perform. CatTina is renowned for her Taylor Swift impersonations, so make a friendship bracelet, take a moment and taste it, because Warwick Pride might be getting a glimpse of the Eras.
Raphael Hoe
4.20pm- 4.35pm
Raphael Hoe, Coventry’s chaotic drag king, is blessing the stage with his charming voice, charismatic energy and witty humour. He’s looking forward to it.. Are you?
Kayleigh Valentine
4.05pm- 4.20pm
Kayleigh Valentine is all about serving spectacular performances wherever she goes! She embraces self-expression, joy and passion, standing out to inspire everyone with self-love. Are you ready for a camp time? Kayleigh sure is!
Tristan Treble
3.45pm - 4.05pm
Tristan Treble (he/they), Birmingham’s resident heartthrob, is a drag king with a voice as smooth as his looks! As a member of the iconic House of Allure, and curator of the ever growing cabaret show Treble and Bass, Tristan has had the pleasure of performing with some of the biggest names all over the country. Whether it’s jazz or a bit of Motown you’re after, this charming crooner is bound to leave you with a little swing in your step!
Siân Jessica Lewis
3.20pm - 3.40pm
Siân Jessica Lewis is a singer-songwriter from Coventry. Her music combines folk, indie, and pop influences, resulting in a beautiful blend of powerful vocals, meaningful lyrics, and evocative melodies.
Last year she won the Guinness sponsored singer-songwriter competition, and she is now working with songwriter and guitarist Lily Smith to produce their first joint EP.
Siân’s songs explore themes of love, trauma, and personal growth, resonating deeply with the audience. Whether performing in intimate coffee houses, underground venues, in music shops, or festival stages, Sian continues to enamour her audience with their heartfelt musical journey.
We'll have four very special performances from Warwick's own Band Soc and MTW Society opening the show!
Midnight Waffle Bar
2pm - 2.50pm
We're Midnight Waffle Bar, a ska band. Ska music has always celebrated different cultures and brought communities together. We try to carry on this tradition and use it to celebrate LGBTQ+ and all the communities we are proud to be a part of with some high energy grooves.
HomeBread
2pm - 2.50pm
Homebread are a DIY Emogaze band, making lots of noise and breaking hearts. As a thoroughly queer band, we want to champion the queer community and music scene at Warwick University through our emotionally charged performance and lyrics.
All Her Sons
2pm - 2.50pm
We are All Her Sons, we play alternative music covering a wide range of styles from britpop to post punk to indie folk. We want to celebrate pride with a healthy dose of rock and melodrama and our proud to be a part of this community.
Music Theatre Warwick
2.55pm - 3.10pm
Music theatre Warwick are Warwick’s biggest performance society and are very excited to be performing at this year’s Pride event! MTW are a diverse society with regular performances in the Warwick Arts Centre and fun opportunity’s to perform in and around campus. Some of our talented members will be performing songs from famous musicals with queer stories, such as Rent and The Prom! Come and join us for some campy musical theatre fun!
Workshop "Strike a pose by Eric Scutaro"
12.30pm - 1.30pm, Helen Martin Studio, Warwick Arts Centre
Eric Scutaro is a Venezuelan choreographer, dance performer and activist, based in Birmingham, United Kingdom. For 13 years, he has been a pioneer in his country in Waacking and Voguing. His work has also stood out for doing Queer activism within the hip-hop culture in his country. Eric is one of the bridges between Venezuela and the United Kingdom for cultural and artistic exchanges in the field of street dance. Eric strives to continue developing opportunities for youth and LGBTIQ+ activism. Join him at 12:30 in the Helen Martin Studio to learn from one of the best!
The Allure Extravaganza: Gallery Late
Mead Gallery & Foyer (Warwick Arts Centre), 6pm - 10pm
The Allure Extraveganza: Gallery Late is an exciting, emerging programme at Warwick Arts Centre.
We're bringing together music, movement, visual art and much more in a free late-night event hosted inside our Mead Gallery.
This June, we are teaming up with Warwick Pride to showcase unique site-response work by a collective LGBTQIA + artists in response to the themes of our summer exhibition featuring Francis Offman and Nicole Bachmann.
Get ready for a joyful evening and an awesome creative take over in Warwick Arts Centre. A big queer celebration bringing all the fabulous energy, life and fun of the Pride Festival.
Curated by critically acclaimed Dominus Von Vexo of multi-award winning collective House of Allure. An action packed night in the Gallery Late Night space bringing comedy, drag, dance, vocals, poetry and much more.
Raise your rainbow flags and come to party!
‘We are here to share our love of the arts’ Mural by Sophie Kathleen
Have you seen the fabulous new mural at our main entrance? We commissioned illustrator, Sophie Kathleen(opens in a new tab), to create a bespoke piece for Warwick Arts Centre to celebrate LGBTQ+ culture, inspired by our core mission statement.
Sophie is an Illustrator and Artist currently based in Surrey, UK. Their vibrant and often political work focuses on their passion for LGBTQ+ empowerment, feminism and tackling taboos.
Start your day with a bright burst of colour. You can’t miss this eye-catching artwork as you make your way into Warwick Arts Centre!
Celebrate LGBTQ+ Cinema with Warwick Arts Centre!
From documentations of queer history to heart-warming slice-of-life drama, see established classics and acclaimed debut features throughout the day, as we screen three British LGBTQ+ films for Pride:
Blue Jean
3pm
Georgia Oakley’s supremely accomplished feature debut follows a lesbian teacher facing homophobia at a pivotal point in British history.
Beautiful Thing
5.15pm
Hettie MacDonald’s sweet-natured Nineties classic takes a keen-eyed look at growing up gay in a heterosexual world.
Pride (10th Anniversary)
7.30pm
Reissued on its 10th anniversary, Matthew Warchus’s irresistibly uplifting Pride is a fantastic, candy-coloured piece of queer history.
Loud and Proud at Copper Rooms!
And the party doesn't have to stop there! Head down to Copper Rooms 1 from 10pm where we are thrilled to announce that DJ Just Soriah will be on the decks.
Just Soriah is a multi-genre DJ from Birmingham. Her main residencies for the last 7 years are at The Nightingale Club and The Village Inn. Soriah has also played and continues to play for other various events and venues around the country including: Vanilla Manchester & Manchester Pride, Lick Events, Leicester Pride, Fatt Projects and Knickerbocker Glory among others.
Most recently, Soriah was the recipient of a BBC 1Xtra Future Figures of 2023 award as recognition for her services to the LGBTQ+ community in Birmingham.
She has also had guest mixes featured on BBC 1Xtra, Reprezent Radio, The Beat London and Kiss Fresh. She recently joined the team at Gaydio to do a monthly mix show on every 3rd Friday.
She is a regular fixture at Birmingham Pride festival and has also recently joined the team to become a programmer for the Dance Arena and the Future Stage. Soriah strives to provide a multitude of opportunities and safe spaces for the LGBTQ+ POC community and also for the wider community. Ultimately, Soriah is dedicated and driven when it comes to empowering the voices of people who are typically marginalised. As someone who is neurodivergent, she is always working hard to advocate for people who don’t have the platform or opportunities to advocate for themselves.
Soriah also runs her own LGBTQ+ event in Birmingham called 'Wile Out'. This event was created to celebrate music of black origin and give POC in the community another space to feel seen. Soriah describes Wile Out as her way of inviting people to spend a night inside her weird and wonderful brain and encouraging people to let loose and authentically be themselves no matter what.
Where can I get something to eat?
There will be food vans serving up a range of delicious food! You can also sit down for lunch at the Dirty Duck (student pub on campus), as well as Pret a Manger underneath the Big Screen and Benugo Restaurant and Cafe inside Warwick Arts Centre.
Cool, so where are the drinks?
Cocktails can be purchased from the Eatwise van right on the Piazza, but again there's the Dirty Duck, as well as Terrace Bar or you can buy drinks to go from Rootes Grocery Store. We politely ask that no glassware is brought onto the Piazza.
Additional information
This is an LGBTQUIA+ friendly space. Transphobia, Racism, Ableism, Sexism or Homophobia will not be tolerated. Please be respectful of everyone attending and working at the festival.
Please do not bring glass, bottles, or alcoholic drinks to the festival.
Please wear sensible closed-toe shoes if you'd like to ride the rodeo bull or try your hand at our funfair games.
If you need to contact Community Safety, their contact details are available here.
Information for visitors
Find out more about travelling to the University here, including visitor parking.
The interactive campus map can help you find your way around whilst on campus, and includes food outlets and toilet facilities.