Untold stories to be collected and preserved

A charity is inviting people in Sunderland to share their experiences as part of a project collecting untold stories.

Curious Arts said it wanted to hear from lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and asexual (LBTQIA+) people so their stories were not overlooked in the future.

Its team will be at Keel Square Pavilion on Sunday and will use photography and voice recordings to create a new online archive.

Curious Arts heritage coordinator Samuel Allenby said the archive aimed to correct a problem which had seen LGBTQIA+ stories less studied and recorded in the past.

"Through events like these, we aim to build awareness and share untold stories for all to see," he said.

"It's important to amplify LGBTQIA+ voices and ensure visible histories live on."

As part of the Curious Histories project, people are being invited to bring along an object representing the part they play within the LGBTQIA+ community in the north-east of England.

The items will then be photographed and preserved.

Attendees can also take part in workshops and work with artists to map important moments in the area's history.

The event is part of Culture House Sunderland's pre-opening programme.

The venue is opening later this year at the Riverside Sunderland development and will celebrate the city's history and heritage.

Culture House director Leanne Littlewood said: "The event will start to bridge a gap of representation in history, ensuring that LGBTQIA+ lives in Sunderland are documented and future generations are able to accurately learn about stories directly from those who lived them.

"We can't wait to see what objects the community in Sunderland bring in to be photographed and preserved online for future."

Curious Histories will take place from 11:00 GMT to 15:00.

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