REUNION 79:21 – Revisiting Black Queer London Clubland January 2026
An exhibition celebrating the evolutionary era betwen 1969 and 2021, when music and dance created community
In the 1980s, Black Queer and Trans people in the UK began to attend underground parties as sanctuaries from discrimination.
These spaces became vital places of self-expression, healing, and freedom, where music turned exclusion into belonging. Revisiting Black Queer London Clubland celebrates the evolutionary era between 1979 and 2021, when music and dance created community amid an all too often hostile world.
While Chicago and Detroit Queer collectives organized underground raves that echoed the indigenous musical forms of Disco, Hip Hop, and House, London Club impresarios, notably Steve Swindells, via his choice of DJ’s, based the music policy at Central London’s first successful Black Queer Clubnight ‘The Lift’, on an eclectic combination of sounds, steered by the ever-evolving cultural mix that is London.
Thus, alongside US music genres, British clubbers enjoyed ‘Northern Soul’, ‘Rare Grooves’, ‘Brit-Soul’, ‘Jazz-Funk’ & ‘Lovers Rock’, musical genres popularised by Generation X . Fledgling Musicians were to later invoke these sounds into nascent genres like EDM .
Since the early 80’s, Steve’s brother, Dave Swindells, has been documenting London’s most influential club and rave scenes. As Time Out Clubs Editor from 1986 – 2009 he had exclusive access to nightlife and its pivotal shifts in youth culture, styles and attitudes.
For this exhibition Dave’s archival photography invokes the early formation of blackqueer visibility in the UK; his intimate imagery shining a light on a queer scene, within a queer scene.
Alongside his previously unpublished images of queer clubland is an installation of memorabilia sourced from both public and private archives. This assemblage of memorabilia will, we hope, be the catalyst for an online forum where stories and images can be shared by clubbers from across the globe.
Exhibition dates: 21 – 25 January 2026
Opening hours: Tues – Sat 11am – 6pm
More information: arcoftriumphuk@gmail.com
Photo credit: Dave Swindells Photography
Exhibition supported by Queer Heritage and Collections Network, Black Music Research Unit, Westminster lgbt+ forum, City of Westminster
NEWS