LGBTQ+ Collections at University of Glasgow
The Hunterian and the Library's Archives & Special Collections teams are working with staff and students from across the University to explore the collections through an LGBTQ+ lens.
We are at the start of a new process to create digital resources, plan events and consider new ways of collecting to allow for more inclusive practice
Project updates, events and new resources will be added to this page.
image: "Two Women", Robert Colquhoun, 1930 - 1960. The Hunterian GLAHA:17465
Get involved
We are keen to involve the University community in this work.
Join our mailing list to be kept up to date.
(University of Glasgow Staff and Students should use their UofG email address).
Join the LGBTQ+ Collections Mailing List
Events
LGBTQIA Art Gallery Tour - Have Your Say!
Thursday 19 October, 2pm - 4pm
Friday 20 October, 10.30am - 12.30pm
In April 2023 The Hunterian reopened the Art Gallery’s main display, presenting the collections in a way that frames questions about how art and art galleries can be more meaningful to more people. The art on display includes works by Whistler and Mackintosh, Rembrandt and Rubens, the Glasgow Boys and more recent artists such as Joan Eardley and Andrew Williams. It also features a significant number of artworks made by women and other artists who have typically been less well represented.
A tour designed with an LGBTQIA perspective will form an essential part of the accompanying programme for this display. Having begun the development process with a team made up of staff and student volunteers, we are keen to open up the development process to include voices from across the LGBTQIA community in University of Glasgow and beyond.
Which of the works on show would you want to feature in this tour?
How do you respond to the new displays?
We really want to gather more voices to shape the new tour.
Book your place LGBTQIA Art Gallery Tour Development
The LGBTQ+ Fabric of the Universty
From February 2022 to February 2023, the LGBTQ+ Fabric of the University ran as a series of 12 monthly gatherings in the Hunterian Museum. Participants chatted, viewed related materials from the University Library's Archive and added pieces of fabric to a coloutful fabric bunting, also donated to the project.
The LGBT Collections Group and the Women in Law Project started this initiative to weave more LGBT stories into the University Collections. Following on from the Women in Law Knitting Collective who produced a blanket to represent the stories of the first 100 women law graduates, this project will make space for the University community to be creative and to reflect on LGBTQ+ life past and present.
Fabric contributions
Fabric pieces, representing something to the contributor about their journey in LGBT life on campus, were contributed by members of the University of Glasgow community – staff, students, alumni and friends. It might represent a person or an event or offer a comment on University of Glasgow LGBTQ+ life.
Telling stories
Each piece of fabric has been recorded as connecting with the contributor (subject to their permission) and we are in the process of collating an accompanying 'story' or other text-based description they wish to accompany it.
Although we have come to the end of our current series of events in the museum, we are happy to continue receiving donations of fabric (see below for instuctions) and "stories", using the link button below.
Ongoing Fabric Submissions
Pieces of fabric can be submitted by post or in person to The Hunterian Museum reception desk. Please place your fabric piece in an envelope marked for the attention of Ruth Fletcher re LGBTQ+ Fabric. The postal address for the museum is on our Contact Us page
Ongoing Story submissions
We would love to hear your story whether you have already submitted fabric or plan to do so. The only thing that MUST be recorded is the category of connection with the University (staff, student, alumni, friend) and the date that the piece was contributed. The contribution of the piece of fabric is just that – a contribution of a piece of fabric. It doesn’t need to be explained.
However if you want to, you can tell us about yourself or about something from UofG LGBTQ History in in your own way – flowing prose, poetry, a picture or a piece of music if that’s how you tell stories. Digital recordings can be accepted. All the works will be retained in the University Archive to contextualise the final joined up fabric creation.
The online form (link below) allows you to record your 'story' about the piece and gives us permission to use both the fabric and the text in this project.
LGBTQ+ Collections Stories
We will be inviting guest blog commentaries and sharing new collection guides to inspire new stories.
If you are interested in contributing to this process, see the "Get involved" section below to find out how.
If you just want to enjoy other people's reflections, keep scrolling...
image: An article in the UofG Student Handbook, 1986, University of Glasgow Archives & Special Collections (DC157/18/95)
LGBTQ+ Stories
Hannah Snell
The Life and Adventures of Hannah Snell: Cross Dressing in the 1700s
A blog by PhD Researcher Eleanor Capaldi
Julia Procula Coin
The Julia Procula Coin depicting Sappho the Poet
A blog by Isabel Ferrari, student of English Literature and Hunterian MuSE guide
Rauschenberg and Johns
Belen de Bacco, UofG student explores the professional and romantic partnership of artists Robert Rauschenberg and Jasper Johns.
Hockney Between the Covers
Hockney Between the Covers: The Transgressive Power of Queer Bodies at Rest
A blog by Dr Allan Madden
The Collections
The University of Glasgow has been acquiring collections to meet the ever-changing needs of research and teaching since the 15th century, and later for public enjoyment and learning. As a result there is a vast range of material available to be viewed or used by staff and students today and we encourage the use of the collections to offer new perspectives on the past.
Archives and Special Collections
LGBTQ+ Collections Working Group - who we are and what we want to do
What we aim to achieve
The Aim is to ensure that the LGBTQ+ community is well represented across the University’s heritage collections and has clear channels through which LGBTQ+ stories can and will be told. We want to ensure that our public spaces, both physical and digital, are inclusive and welcoming to all.
The project's Working Group will drive project outcomes (e.g. digital content; display interpretation; event programming) to address these discrepancies and to offer an outlet for LGBTQ+ perspectives.
Download Full LGBTQ+ Collections working group Statement of Intent 2021
Project Team and Working Group Membership
Project Team Members can take on one or more of these roles:
Working Group: project planning, policies & protocols; regular meetings; content and programming decisions
Collections Practitioners Sub-Group: dealing with collections related issues; reporting back to working group
Contributor: select objects; research stories; write narratives; create content
Ambassador: interested observer; share and promote; comment and interact
Working Group Membership includes:
- representatives of LGBT Staff and Student Societies
- staff and students experienced in using collections for their research and teaching
- collections and engagement staff from The Hunterian and the Library.