The Queer Spring

Day of music, film, spoken word & discussions taking an expansive look at queer spaces and culture. Todmorden Unitarian Church & Nan Moor's

The Queer Spring

7th March 2026

All dayer at Todmorden Unitarian Church

Afters at Nan Moor's, Todmorden

+Queer Spring Walk

A day of music, spoken word and discussions taking an expansive look at queer spaces and culture

Todmorden Unitarian Church, doors at 2pm

Jay Hulme

Jay Hulme is a poet, speaker, and theologian from Leicester, in the UK. His books for children have been nominated for some of the UK’s oldest and most prestigious writing and illustration awards. His books for adults are published by one of the UK’s leading Christian publishers and are widely reviewed and praised, with his poem ‘Jesus at the Gay Bar’ becoming an international sensation. Jay speaks and preaches at churches, cathedrals, and theological conferences, and is a regular contributor to the BBC’s Daily Service.

When he isn’t writing, speaking, or caring for the 1144 year old church where he serves as Churchwarden, Jay enjoys exploring (and climbing up) the ancient churches and cathedrals that litter the British landscape, finding inspiration in their beauty, and in the faith which has been practiced there for centuries.

Sherpa K 

The makers of art-folk with a knowing twink.

Boasting a musical arsenal from saxophone and flute to piano and double bass, the five Sherpas are on a mission to confuse, charm, and promote universal joy.  

Klovharun

A new commission for The Queer Spring. 

Klovharun is the name of the island where author Tove Jansson and artist Tuulikki Pietilä spent 26 of their summers in a small cabin surrounded by the sea. This project is born from the sounds of the sea , the everyday life of two women making their own space, and the queerness of selkies. Inspired by the unsung songs of Tove Jansson and their beautiful shared solitude, with stories, songs and a lot of drones from pipes, guitar, voice and cello, this is a musical celebration of salt, stone and small ghosts.

Zahra Haji Fath Ali Tehrani

Zahra Haji Fath Ali Tehrani is an Iranian-Irish composer and multi-instrumentalist whose music explores the emotional terrains of intimacy, memory, and belonging through experimental sound. Based in Oxford and rooted in both Irish and Iranian heritage, Zahra creates genre-defying compositions that blend lo-fi jazz punk, shoegaze, and folk influences into raw, contemporary expressions of identity and queerness 

Panel 

Faciltated by Ruth Boycott-Garnet; Manchester Met Research Fellow

Jez Dolan

IAP:MCR creates and presents new work across the visual and performing arts made by artists who identify as queer. Jez Dolan discusses their recent work Re/Assemble – a new exhibition celebrating LGBTQIA+ history and queer activism at the People’s History Museum. 

Zahra Haji Fath Ali Tehrani 

Zahra is a musician and director of Young Women’s Music Project (YWMP), an Oxford-based charity that provides a supportive space for young people. Zahra has pioneered a Safer Spaces policy in collaboration with young people, to disrupt the status quo of grassroots gig-going culture. The project stemmed from Zahra’s more than 20 years experience in the music industry, and has involved extensive research and national collaboration to cultivate a response to violence in music. This policy is now being successfully implemented in The Nest, YWMP’s new space in Oxford.

Jayne Mugglestone

Lecturer at Manchester Metropolitan University whose work focuses on LGBTQIA+ inclusive practice in higher education. She collaborates with students to create queer spaces through creative, participatory projects that foster belonging and visibility.

Zine making and other activities throughout the day

Home made soup served with vegan and vegetarian options available

Bar provided by Nan Moor's

Afters at Nan Moor's 9.30pm - 1am

ADBT

ADBT is the DJ moniker of Adrian Brian Thompson (or Ady to his friends), a versatile club DJ with almost 20 years’ experience playing outsider pop, indie electro, industrial, electronica, hard dance, and commercial dance throughout the UK and Europe.

As well as his current DJ residency at Manchester’s pioneering alternative queer party Dandy and his own diverse mix of events under the AnalogueTrash umbrella, ADBT has DJ’d at London’s Royal Vauxhall Tavern, Cologne’s Amphi Festival, London’s Slimelight, Sheffield’s Resistanz Festival, Manchester’s Deaf Institute, Copenhagen’s Underhusset club, Athens’ Big Bar, Paris’ Le Klub venue, Todmorden’s Golden Lion pub, Birmingham’s Eden Bar, and many more eclectic and underground venues and events.

Never one to sit still, he also performs live as part of the UK electronica 4-piece VIEON as a visual artist and VJ.

ADBT DJ will bring us an energetic mix of Queer anthems and fun pop with plenty of songs you love and more than a few curveballs thrown in to finish a fantastic day.

8th March 2026

Queer Spring Todmorden Walk

Guided, welcoming walk for LGBTQ+ folks

12pm -3pm

Book directly for the walk via https://dandelion.events/e/u3xoy )

Tickets:

£15 adv / £20 otd

Pay what you can tickets available - no one will be turned away

Todmorden Unitarian Church is wheelchair accessible. Nan Moor's is not wheelchair accessible.

For access needs or any support requirements, please get in touch.