Out On An Island IW

20/06/2026

Always a fabulous event in Brighton in October The Coast Is Q***r Festival 🏳️‍⚧️📚🏳️‍🌈

We're baaaaaaaack!! 🛟🌊

With our POSTER REVEAL for 2026!

Save the Date! 15-18 October.

Our Artist-in-Residence, Boogaloo Stu (Boogaloo Stu) has designed this year's poster, which is full of playful critters, local references and beaming with q***r joy!

We're over the moon with Stu's brilliant work.

We've been working hard behind the scenes to pull together this year’s stellar lineup of amazing q***r writers for our much needed literary love-in.

Watch this space (and sign to our revamped newsletter via our website) for announcements and tickets very very soon!

18/06/2026

Today is International Day for Countering Hate Speech, a day created by the UN for standing up against hateful and prejudiced language. There has been a resurgence in hate against the LGBTQ+ community, especially the trans community, in recent times, and we have seen this firsthand, certainly online in comments. It is important to show solidarity against such hateful speech. UNESCO have posted a helpful guide on how this can be addressed (see the link in the comments).

🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

17/06/2026

StoneCrabs is taking part in the tenth this summer with some incredible reads! This is just one of five hundred books being shared around the UK.

We have hidden a copy of *The Perfect Match*, written by Chris Becker and illustrated by Dan Taylor for a lucky finder to discover on the Island :)

The Perfect Match by Chris Becker

”“He reached the stadium just in time – the game was about to start! Leo rushed through the

tunnel…”

“The Knights were in the lead till almost half-time... But then the Red Dragons fought back!”

About the book:

Jack loves to hear the story of how his two dads met…

It all begins when a football-mad boy is invited to play in a royal football match, but it will take a sprinkle of magic from his Hairy Squadfather and a special silver football boot to give this story its fairy tale ending.

12/06/2026

As we look forward to Isle Of Wight Pride on Saturday July 18, we reflect on our first Pride in 2017.

Today marks 10 years since the harrowing massacre at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando when 49 people were killed and 58 injured. It was at a vigil to remember the victims that plans were started for the island’s first Pride.

Let’s stand in solidarity and pause to reflect both on the past and on a peaceful future for our community.

06/06/2026

🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️For anyone who was planning to head to Portsmouth Pride today….🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈

While today’s main Portsmouth Pride event has sadly been cancelled due to the weather, Pride is still finding a way.

Many of our brilliant acts were already booked and paid for, so our friends and long-time partners at Hampshire Boulevard are stepping in to host an afternoon of Portsmouth Pride entertainment from 2pm.

Entry is free, and our volunteers will also be there with the highly anticipated Portsmouth Pride merchandise.

Please note: Hampshire Boulevard is an 18+ venue.

Thank you for your understanding, your support, and your Pride spirit. We hope to see many of you there.

*Tonight's Official HB Afterparty is a separate event, which will go ahead as planned. Tickets are available on the door and online.*

06/06/2026

Due to the high winds, Portsmouth Pride has been cancelled today.

** Due to gale wind conditions and heavy rain, Portsmouth Pride has been cancelled today. **

This includes the parade. The site is unsuitable, so please do not come to Southsea Common.

Further information will be shared with everyone affected in the next week.

Portsmouth Pride will return on Saturday 12 June 2027, on Castle Field.

05/06/2026

🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈 It’s great to see The Supporters' of Cowes Library’s display of books for Pride Month. We are delighted to see the Out On An Island book in their selection. 🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈

This month’s reason to read… Be Loud, Be Proud, Be You! 🏳️‍🌈

The librarians have curated a mixed fiction and non fiction display especially for Pride Month, with everything from graphic novels, to real stories of local people, to famous novels you may not realise have an LGBTQIA+ link.

Come and have a look the next time you’re passing!

04/06/2026

It's Volunteers Week and we would like to thank everyone who has given up their free time to support us.

If you would like to volunteer for StoneCrabs Theatre or Out on an Island, we have opportunities to help at events, LGBTQ+ community groups, as researchers, and for anyone interested in theatre. Message us to find out more!

02/06/2026

Happy Pride Month! This month we recognise and celebrate our community, acknowledging all that has been achieved and all that is still to be accomplished. In these troubling times, it is important to stand as one and show that we have always been here and we are not going anywhere.

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Our book, Out on an Island, details the hidden heritage of the Isle of Wight, drawing on oral histories from the LGBTQ+ community. These stories range from joyous and celebratory to heart-breaking and discriminatory. Buy the book and learn more here:

https://medinapublishing.com/books/out-on-an-island/

🌈🏳️‍⚧️💕

29/05/2026

It’s Book Club and Breakfast tomorrow at The Toolshed, One Holyrood in Newport from 10.30am until 12.30pm. Hope to see you there! 🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈