Investing in LGBTQ+ heritage
That's why inclusion, access and participation is one of the four investment principles that guide our grant decision making.
Since 1994 we've invested over £12million across the UK in sharing stories of LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and other identities) heritage, creativity, activism and much more.
If you've got an idea for a project, we'd love to hear from you.
The terms we use
At The National Lottery Heritage Fund, we use the acronym LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer). The ‘+’ represents people who identify as non-binary, intersex, asexual and other identities.
We use these acronyms because we believe they are widely understood. Identities can be complex and intersectional, and we are also aware that for many these terms may feel inadequate or limiting. We keep the language we use constantly under review.
Projects
Never Going Underground: The fight for LGBT+ rights
Never Going Underground: the fight for LGBT+ rights’ was an award-winning exhibition developed by LGBT+ volunteer community curators and staff at People’s History Museum in Manchester.
Projects
The Sandi Hughes archive - Liverpool's LGBTQ+ diverse community heritage on film
This project made the work of black, feminist, gay filmmaker Sandi Hughes available online and in the Liverpool Record Office.
Projects
Out and Proud Histories in Greater Manchester
The Out and Proud project explores and celebrates lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) histories and heritage across Greater Manchester using digital technologies.
Projects
'All The Nice Girls' - women in men's roles on stage 1914-1918
First World War LGBT project looking at the lives of women working on stage in male roles.
Projects
Leicester LGBT Heritage Project
This three-year project recorded the oral histories of Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland's LGBTQ+ communities, from before partial decriminalisation in 1967 to the present day.
Projects
Hidden voices: uncovering Reading's LGBT heritage
The project explored the heritage of Reading's LGBT community and created an archive of historic and recent stories to preserve them for future generations.
Projects
Coming Out Stories
Young people captured, preserved and shared the Coming Out Stories of Birmingham’s LGBT community.
Projects
April Ashley exhibition and heritage education project
‘April Ashley: Portrait of a Lady’ shared the hidden history of the trans community – those whose gender identity and/or expression differs from the sex they were assigned at birth – with 1.2million visitors.
Projects
Burnley LGBT Heritage Project
The Burnley LGBT Heritage Project focused on capturing the hidden histories of LGBT+ communities to explore the life stories, experiences and memories of people living in the area.
Projects
Queer in Brighton - An Exploration of Brighton's Hidden LGBTQ+ Heritage
This year-long heritage learning project celebrated and promoted the rich cultural life of the LGBTQ+ community in Brighton and Hove.
Projects
Bona Eek - The Polari Project
The Bona Eek project focused on rediscovering and documenting the largely lost language of Polari, examining its origins and its influence in contemporary language and life in LGBT+ communities and beyond.
Projects
Exhibition on gay life and the LGBT movement in Bristol, Bath and the surrounding region
OutStories have collected and preserved the heritage of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) communities of Bristol and the surrounding area.