MK Q:mmunity Tales: Not Going Underground.
This summer, Q:alliance invites you to discover a rich and rarely told history of LGBTQ+ life in Milton Keynes. MK Q:mmunity Tales – Not Going Underground is a landmark exhibition opening at the Creative Void, Wolverton from 30th August to 27th September 2025, alongside special events at MK Pride Festival and a film launch at MK Gallery.
For the first time, a unique collection of oral histories, photos, posters, newsletters and artefacts will be brought together to shine a light on the resilience, creativity and community spirit of LGBTQ+ people across six decades. The exhibition captures both the joy and the struggles of local queer life – from campaigns and protests to discos, phone lines, walking groups, and queer spaces that shaped the city.
A History Hidden in Plain Sight
Though LGBTQ+ people have not always been visible in Milton Keynes, they have always been here. Visitors will discover the story of the MK Campaign for Homosexual Equality in the 1970s, protests against discriminatory laws in the 1980s, the pioneering Youthline group of the 1990s–2000s, and the role of community-run centres such as the Freedom Centre in Neath Hill and Q:space in Witan Gate.
Alongside memories of pubs, clubs and ‘lesbian discos,’ the project has also created two heritage walks and a queer map of Milton Keynes, charting the places and spaces where LGBTQ+ lives flourished.
This extraordinary work was made possible through funding from The Heritage Lottery Fund, which supported archival research, over 100 community conversations and more than 30 recorded interviews in collaboration with the Living Archive.
Exhibition Details
Venue: Creative Void (under the Old Bathhouse), 205 Stratford Rd, Wolverton, MK12 5RL
Admission: Free – no booking required unless in groups of 10+
Public opening times:
- Sat 30th August (preview): 12:00 – 1:00 PM
- Tuesdays (2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd Sept): 2:00 – 6:00 PM
- Wednesdays (3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th Sept): 6:00 – 8:00 PM
- Thursdays (4th, 11th, 18th, 25th Sept): 6:00 – 8:00 PM
- Fridays (5th, 19th, 26th Sept): 4:00 – 8:00 PM (closed Fri 12th Sept)
- Saturdays (6th, 20th, 27th Sept): 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM (closed Sat 13th Sept)
Finale Celebration:
Saturday 27th September 11 – 4pm – performances, film, and community celebration.
Booking required at: qalliance.org.uk/events
Special Events
- MK Pride Festival Heritage Tent
Campbell Park | 🗓 Saturday 13th September | 12:00 – 6:00 PM - Film Launch at MK Gallery
MK Q:mmunity tales – our queer voices (70 mins) & The Trans Script (20 mins)
The Skyroom, MK Gallery, 900 Midsummer Blvd, MK9 3QA
Thursday 18th September, 2:00 – 4.30 PM
Free event with Q&A – book at: Film launch - MK Q:mmunity Tales | Qalliance
Publication
A companion book, MK Q:mmunity Tales – local LGBTQ+ history since ‘67, will also be releasing. It will be available in all local schools and libraries, free to view online, and available for purchase.
