Our Projects

At OUT North East, our projects are designed to strengthen health, wellbeing and connection across LGBTQ+ communities in the North East.

We create exciting opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to learn new skills, share knowledge and build confidence in supportive, welcoming environments. Whether developing creative talents, improving physical wellbeing or exploring LGBTQ+ history and culture, our programmes are shaped to deliver meaningful outcomes which reduces isolation, increases resilience and helps people feel more connected.

From DJ academies and film groups to yoga, crocheting, sporting activities and community gardening, our projects support both personal growth and social connection. Participants gain practical skills, discover new interests and form friendships that often continue long after a project ends.

Learning and education sits at the heart of our approach. We celebrate LGBTQ+ heritage, encourage intergenerational exchange and create spaces where lived experience is valued. By bringing people together to learn, create and collaborate, we strengthen community networks and build confidence that reaches beyond the session itself.

Our projects don’t just fill time they build skills, nurture wellbeing and create lasting connections. Through shared experiences, new friendships are formed, confidence grows and community becomes something people actively shape together.

There’s always something new to discover - and everyone is welcome.

HAVE A PROJECT IN MIND?

Want to deliver meaningful work that engages LGBTQ+ communities and achieves real outcomes? We work with partners and commissioners to design and deliver innovative, creative projects that make a tangible difference.

Using creativity as a powerful tool for engagement, we develop programmes that connect people, build skills and improve wellbeing. From arts-based initiatives and cultural events to physical activity, learning opportunities and community-building sessions, we create inclusive experiences shaped around clear objectives.

Every project is built with outcomes in mind. We work with you to define what success looks like, deliver work that meets those goals and provide clear evaluation that demonstrates impact. Whether the focus is reducing isolation, improving confidence, increasing participation or strengthening community cohesion, we ensure results can be evidenced and shared.

Flexible, collaborative and grounded in lived experience, our approach combines imagination with accountability. If you’re looking to commission work that is creative, measurable and community-driven, let’s explore what we can build together.

Spray it with Pride

Spray it with Pride is an innovative public art project that celebrates LGBTQ+ history, identity and Pride across the whole North East through bold, collaborative artwork.

The project shines a light on local LGBTQ+ stories, activism and community resilience, while also honouring the historical, international and regional LGBTQ+ icons and changemakers who have shaped our lives and communities. At its heart is a simple question: who and what should be remembered, celebrated and seen?

The final artwork is made up of four vibrant panels. Three panels highlight LGBTQ+ icons, changemakers and landmarks that represent queer history and Pride at international, national and regional level. The fourth panel is uniquely community-designed, shaped by LGBTQ+ people across the North East to celebrate the individuals, places and moments that make them proud of where they live.

Working with acclaimed spray paint artist Ida4, the project invites LGBT+ people and allies to help shape this powerful visual legacy. Through hands-on workshops, participants learn creative skills including designing stencils, curating visual ideas and safely using spray paints to bring the artwork to life. These sessions ensure the project is not only something communities see, but something they actively create together.

The project launches during OUT North East’s Summer of Pride 2025 with storytelling and creative workshops that gather first-hand experiences and ideas from across the region. These shared contributions form the foundation of the community panel, ensuring local voices are at the heart of the final piece.

Spray it with Pride culminates in LGBT+ History Month in February 2026, leaving behind bold artwork that celebrates identity, visibility and Pride - and ensuring that queer history in the North East is not only remembered, but seen.

The legacy of Spray it with Pride extends beyond the final artwork. The project will also develop into a dedicated schools resource, supporting young people to learn about LGBTQ+ culture and history while creating their own artwork inspired by what makes them proud of their communities. By encouraging creativity, education and inclusion, this next stage ensures the impact of the project continues inspiring future generations to celebrate identity, heritage and Pride in their own voices.

Drop In Queer Edition

OUT North East partnered with The Drop In Centre in Dunston, Gateshead, to support its LGBTQ+ group to find their voice, build confidence and explore hidden talents. Together, we created Drop In Queer Edition - a podcast developed from the ground up by the group themselves.

Across six sessions, the group explored identity, LGBTQ+ history and lived experience in an open, supportive environment where everyone had space to speak and be heard. The project was designed first and foremost to build confidence, encourage self-expression and ensure participants felt their perspectives mattered.

Alongside these personal outcomes, the group developed practical, transferable skills. They learned how to shape ideas into episodes, write scripts, plan discussions, conduct interviews and work collaboratively as a creative team. Hands-on experience in recording, editing and producing audio content helped build digital confidence and unlock creative potential that many hadn’t previously recognised.

In partnership with Pride Radio, the group recorded in a professional studio, seeing their ideas valued and shared widely. For many, this was a powerful moment moving from conversation to broadcast, from private thoughts to public voice.

Funding support enabled us to invest in equipment and resources that will continue to benefit the group and future participants. Expanding access to podcasting tools creates ongoing opportunities to develop skills, grow in confidence and explore pathways into media, broadcasting and other creative industries.

The group also attended the Safer To Be Me Conference, confidently interviewing international speakers - a clear reflection of the self-belief and communication skills developed through the project.

The result is a vibrant podcast series that celebrates creativity, confidence and the power of having your say. More than a podcast, it is a platform for voice, visibility and progression - and a reminder that when people are given space and support, they thrive.

Supported by

Healthy Choices for Local LGBTQ+ People

Community wellbeing remains central to OUT North East’s project delivery. Our Healthy Choices for Local LGBTQ+ People programme supported LGBTQ+ individuals and families to build confidence, practical skills and healthier habits through inclusive, supportive activity.

Using food as a gateway to wellbeing, the programme focused on giving people real choices and realistic options. It explored affordable, achievable approaches to healthy eating, particularly for those experiencing inequality, low income or food insecurity. Feedback from participants highlighted increased confidence in making healthier decisions and trying new approaches at home.

A key aim was to help participants better understand where food comes from and how it connects to both physical and mental wellbeing. By exploring growing, cooking and nutrition together, the programme supported young people and families to feel more informed, empowered and able to make positive changes in everyday life.

In partnership with Gateshead College, we produced accessible nutritional resources for families, covering eating well on a budget, reducing waste, planning simple meals and growing food at home. These resources were designed to extend impact beyond the sessions and support longer-term behaviour change.

Hands-on workshops and grow-your-own activities created welcoming spaces for learning through experience. For young people in particular, planting and harvesting offered an opportunity to connect with nature, develop new skills and see food in a different way from seed to plate. Session evaluation showed that participants valued the practical learning and the supportive, non-judgemental environment.

The programme’s outreach element extended its reach further. Engagement at the Pride in Gateshead Family Picnic connected with over 1,000 families, sharing resources and promoting positive conversations about health, wellbeing and inclusion.

Healthy Choices for Local LGBTQ+ People demonstrated how small, community-led interventions can deliver measurable wellbeing outcomes, strengthen resilience and support lasting changes in confidence, knowledge and lifestyle.

Fighting With Pride

Supporting LGBTQ+ veterans is about restoring dignity, recognition and Pride to those who were once forced to serve in silence. We were proud to partner with Fighting With Pride, working to support LGBTQ+ veterans and serving personnel affected by the historic ban that prevented LGBTQ+ people from serving openly in the Armed Forces.

For many, the ban was not just a policy it was a deeply personal injustice. Careers were cut short, medals were removed, friendships were broken and identities were suppressed. The long-term impact on confidence, mental health and belonging has been profound. This work is about acknowledging that harm and ensuring veterans receive the recognition, support and justice they deserve.

We delivered three In Conversation events across Sunderland, South Tyneside and Gateshead with Carl Austin-Behan OBE DL, who shared his powerful personal story of being dismissed from the RAF for being gay. His honesty created space for reflection and dialogue, sparking meaningful conversations about loss, resilience and the importance of confronting past injustice.

Joined by Fighting With Pride CEO Peter Gibson, the events also provided clear, practical information about accessing specialist support and applying for financial reparations of up to £70,000 under the government’s restorative measures. Several veterans from the region have since begun claims, demonstrating the tangible impact of visibility, partnership and trusted information.

Beyond financial redress, these conversations helped reconnect veterans with a renewed sense of identity and belonging. For some, speaking openly about their experience was the first step in reclaiming their story and celebrating their service with Pride.

Through this partnership, we are ensuring LGBTQ+ veterans in the North East know they are seen, respected and valued and that their service matters.

Supported by

Emerald 55: