New project to measure impact of LGBTQ+ cultural backlash

A new project, ‘The LGBTQIA+ Cultural Barometer’ aims to measure and understand the current climate surrounding LGBTQ+ culture programming and creatives in the UK, and the backlash it is experiencing. Led by Curious Arts, in partnership with Birmingham's Fatt Projects, and Marlborough Productions, the research project intends to “understand the experiences, pressures and impact of backlash, publish a report sharing the findings of this research, and to bring together the wider cultural sector together to consider ways to respond to the findings of the report in 2026.”

In the overview for the project, those leading it explain: “We have been hearing from an increasing number of artists, organisations, and venues who are experiencing anti-LGBTQIA+ backlash ranging from hateful comments on social media to in person protests, event cancellation, and even threats against the safety of artists, staff, and audiences. It is our belief that these experiences pose a genuine risk to LGBTQIA+ culture in the UK, impacting us emotionally, physically, financially, and professionally.”

The project is being managed by Adam Carver, director of Fatt Projects, working in collaboration with trans researcher Chloe Turner.

Sharing their own personal experiences, of anti-LGBTQ+ backlash and the realities of being a queer creative, online (the full details of which can be read on Substack), artist and director of Fatt Projects, Adam Carver, also known as Fatt Butcher writes: “A performance of our bike show at a festival was targeted by a group of teenagers, they shouted homophobic abuse at us, tried to push me off the bike mid-performance, and caused damage to the bike. At the same performance, a cast member still in make-up was sexually assaulted walking back to our accommodation. We decided to leave the festival early and not continue performing.

“Not long after this, a performance of our family show was targeted by the far-right. They made threats against the safety of our company and the venue, a local MP said I shouldn’t be around children, and images of me were (once again) circulated online being labelled a pedophile. I decided to cancel the performance. I decided to stop touring family work entirely and to massively cut back on our outdoor touring shows. I don’t regret that, I needed to do it, I’m happier without it, but it was not without consequence. The pressure to sustain income increased massively. I went straight into working out how to keep going with two key income streams gone."

Fatt Projects have produced shows and projects including: Send In The Clowns, Congregational, Full Fatt Sound and MOBILISE

“I’ve been living with the background anxiety that me or an artist I work with will be put in danger, that something I say or do or wear will be taken out of context, shared online, and I’ll end up being targeted again but somehow worse.”

Following the backlash they experienced as well as other happenings outlined in their Substack, including the collapse of Manchester Pride, Fatt Butcher is trying to make a change for themselves, moving back towards their roots as an artist, putting politics back into their work despite the fear of backlash, and aiming to “find more ways to support, up-skill, think, and share resources with local artists, creatives, and community organisers.”

Their collaboration with Curious Arts and Marlborough Productions uses their experiences and those of other LGBTQ+ creatives to better understand the impact of anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric in the UK. If you work in the UK’s cultural sector and have experienced anti-LGBTQIA+ backlash in the last five years, the project wants to hear about your experiences so that they can start to build a national picture of what’s happening and begin to think about how we can respond as a community.

To contribute to the research, take part in the survey by 5pm on Friday 16^th January 2026.