QUEER COMMONS: We Don't Belong In Their City

Hadrian's Lover presents the first Queer Commons gathering.

Here's the thing: Manchester keeps changing. The queer spaces we loved are closing. The neighbourhoods we built are being "regenerated" into something we can't afford. Village has been overrun by mobs. And somehow, we're supposed to just accept that we don't belong in our own city anymore.

We're tired of that narrative.

Queer Commons is a new salon series for our community, a space where we can talk about our lives, our city, and what we're owed without having to explain why it matters. This isn't a panel discussion or a lecture. It's us, in a room together, figuring out how we fight back while we still can.

"We Don't Belong In Their City: On gentrification, loss, and claiming what we're owed"

We'll explore:

• What does it mean to lose queer spaces to development and rising rents?
• How do we build community when our gathering places keep disappearing?
• How do we honour what's been lost while fighting for what comes next?

Co-facilitated by a special guest (to be revealed).

• 7:00pm - Doors open, grab a drink from the venue bar
• 7:30pm - Conversation begins (intimate, guided discussion - not a lecture)
• 9:00pm onwards - Stay as long as you want, keep talking, keep connecting

This is intimate by design. 45 people maximum. Candlelit atmosphere (well, LED candles). Real conversations with people who already understand why this matters.

Think salon nights meets community organising, but make it feel less like homework and more like the best dinner party you've been to. We're creating the space we wish existed.

Dress code: Elevated evening. Not formal, just intentional. Dress like you're going somewhere that matters.

• Entry to the event
• Guided salon discussion with small group breakouts
• Access to curated reading list on gentrification & queer urbanism
• Community notebook for your thoughts
• Connection with 44 other people who care about this city

Drinks & food available for purchase from the venue bar/cafe

This event operates on a donation model because community access matters more than profit.

Suggested donation: £15-25

Choose your ticket tier based on what works for you:

• Supporter Tier - £15 (helps cover costs and supports future events)
• Standard Tier - £10 (suggested amount)
• Community Tier - £5 (pay what you can - no questions asked)

Every penny goes toward making these gatherings possible: venue costs, materials, and building the infrastructure our community deserves.

No one is turned away for lack of funds. If you need access and can't afford the community tier, message us directly.

You, if:

• You're tired of your existence being everyone's debate topic
• You've watched your favourite queer space close and felt something break
• You have thoughts about gentrification, but nowhere to process them with people who get it
• You believe community care and political action don't have to be separate things
• You want to talk about your actual life without it being a teaching moment

You, if you're tired of processing your city's changes alone.

This is the first Queer Commons. Be part of where it begins.

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

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Host or Publisher Hadrian's Lover