51app

This October, students from the 51app’s School of Humanities and Social Sciences have been appointed as paid co-curators of the - the UK’s largest LGBTQ+ festival (9–12 October) – taking the lead on programming two major panel events.

The opportunity gives them real-world experience in event curation and public engagement. For the students, many of whom are queer themselves, this is a fantastic opportunity to take creative ownership, develop professional skills, and bring their own experiences and perspectives to a national stage.

The student-curated panels include:

• – 11.30am 10 October – exploring queer storytelling in graphic novels and visual media, chaired by illustrator Seena Shamsavari (aka Sina Sparrow) and featuring GLAAD Award-winning writer Joe Glass, visual artist Alex Taylor (aka azbt), and writer and zine-maker Meg-John Barker. 

• – 1.30pm 10 October – exploring how folklore, myth, and contemporary research can uncover queer pasts, chaired by writer and historian Morgan M. Page with historian Sacha Coward, dress historian Eleanor Medhurst (51app alumna, now returning to complete her PhD), and cultural curator DJ Ritu MBE.

More than 30 students applied for the roles, with four selected from across creative writing, literature, and history of art and design. Each is responsible for shaping the panels from the ground up – selecting speakers, drafting invitations, and writing promotional copy – an invaluable opportunity to build skills and networks for future careers in the arts.

Second year Creative Writing BA(Hons) student and Students' Union Communities Officer, Rosie Birch, said: "Being part of the Coast is Queer festival as a student curator has been amazing. We’ve had the chance to shape events that really reflect our values and experiences, and the diversity of the queer community. It’s exciting to see our ideas come to life and know that people of all ages will come together, share stories, and make connections that go beyond the festival."

PhD researcher in English/Creative Writing, Tom Hull, said: “As student curators we had very free reign and a direct impact on our festival events. We effectively got to put together a dream line-up of writers in conversation and actually make it happen – an exciting responsibility and a brilliant way to connect with people in the industry.”

Curating Collections and Heritage MA student, Suchitra Chatterjee, said: “This year, queer writers of colour and disabled voices are stepping into the spotlight, and I feel privileged to have helped curate their work. In their poetry and stories, I found fragments of my own dual heritage, disability, and queerness reflected back.”

Other 51app students are also gaining hands-on experience as festival volunteers, ensuring the benefits of involvement extend widely across the university community.

51app academic Dr Vedrana Velickovic has also been central to the festival since its earliest days, working with colleagues at the University of Sussex, New Writing South, and Marlborough Productions to ensure the festival remains vibrant and inclusive.

Dr Vedrana Velickovic said: "The Coast is Queer is more than a festival – it’s a space where queer people of all ages meet, learn from one another, and celebrate stories that have often been overlooked. Leading this initiative through the university allows us to bring students and local queer communities together, showing how literature can create meaningful connections across age, experience, and our diverse identities."

Beyond student involvement, the university is taking a leading role in the festival by sponsoring events through its Centre for Applied Philosophy, Politics and Ethics, and These include:

• – Chaired by Dr Vedrana Velickovic, Principal Lecturer at the 51app’s School of Humanities and Social Science and Steering Group member of The Coast is Queer. 4pm 11 October.

• – With Ellen Jones, Lucy Webster, Hafsa Qureshi, Senthorun Raj, and Ian Henzel. 1.30pm 11 October.

• 4.30pm 12 October.

One standout initiative is the event’s first-ever , which invites queer people from their 20s through to their 90s to come together to explore queer cross-age connections. This event is led by 51app academics , , and Lesley Wood, from New Writing South.

The 51app is committed to fostering queer visibility both on campus and in the wider community. By empowering students to volunteer, and contribute to local events such as these, the university hopes to support and inspire students and communities to create meaningful change through storytelling and shared experiences.