In October 2021, Polari completed it largest tour ever, supported by a grant from Arts Council England’s Grants for the Arts. Originally planned as a 22 date tour, the final tour included 25 dates, many of them online as a result of the pandemic. 

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The Polari Prize Tenth Anniversary Tour showcased writers long and shortlisted for the 2020 and 2021 Polari Prize awards for emerging and established LGBTQ+ literary talent, as well as winners from the Prize’s ten year history, dating all the way back to 2011. 

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The tour kicked off at Huddersfield Literature Festival in March 2020 and ended on October 30 2021with a special event at London’s Southbank Centre, when the 2021 Prize winners were announced as part of the London Literature Festival. 

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The tour also included physical events in Brighton, Edinburgh, Manchester and at London’s famous nightclub Heaven and legendary LGBTQ+ venue The RVT.

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In these uncertain times, you can help support Polari’s vital work by buying us a coffee HERE

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BACKGROUND

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Founded by author Paul Burston, Polari began in 2007 in a bar in Soho. Since 2009, we’ve been based at London’s Southbank Centre. We also tour regularly, funded by Arts Council England.

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There’s a brief history of Polari on our YouTube channel HERE 

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There’s a history of our touring activities HERE

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For a taste of recent events, you can listen to the Polari podcast HERE

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Writers and performers who’ve appeared at Polari include Adele Anderson, Amrou Al-Kadhi, Jake Arnott, Neil Bartlett, Dustin Lance Black, John Boyne, Russell T Davies, Juno Dawson, Maureen Duffy, Stella Duffy, Carey Wood-Duffy, Cerys Evans, Bernardine Evaristo, Patrick Gale, Rosie Garland, Nikita Gill, Salena Godden, Niven Govinden, Garth Greenwell, Alexis Gregory, Saleem Haddad, Mari Hannah, Philip Hensher, Celia Imrie, Juliet Jacques, Keith Jarrett, Jackie Kay, VG Lee, Deborah Levy, Kirsty Logan, David McAlmont, John McCullough, Val McDermid, Karen McLeod, Andrew McMillan, Paul McVeigh, Charlotte Mendelson, Fiona Mozley, Musa Okwonga, Okechukwu Nzelu, Diriye Osman, Juno Roche, Ali Smith, Diana Souhami, Joelle Taylor, Tracey Thorn, Paula Varjack, Sarah Waters and Mohin Zaidi.

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Polari was named Cultural Event of the Year in the Co-op Respect Loved By You Awards 2013.

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“Always fun, always thought-provoking – a guaranteed great night out” – Sarah Waters

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“Lively, funny and inspiring – a gay-themed salon of interest to anyone remotely interested in literature, whatever their sexual bent” – Patrick Gale

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