Safe Ageing, No Discrimination (SAND), in partnership with Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery, is excited to exhibit The Wave Project from Saturday 27 May 2023 through to the end of June, to coincide with Pride Month.

The Wave Project is a collection of nearly 50 photos contributed by people who are aged 50-90+, who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or trans (LGBT+), and who live, work or play in Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin, all waving at the camera. The aim of the project is to raise visibility of older and old LGBT+ people in the county and celebrate their lives.

Safe Ageing, No Discrimination (SAND), the organiser of the project, has heard comments like the following from all sorts of people, from NHS consultants to housing support workers, including those with LGBT+ family members:

“It never occurred to me that there are old LGBT+ people”

Shropshire GP (2018)

The Wave Project is SAND’s response. Beginning in autumn 2022, they invited older and old LGBT+ people to send in photographs of themselves waving.

This exhibition is the result. The subjects share with us a glimpse into their lives – who they are and why visibility matters to them.

The official launch of the exhibition will be on Sunday 4 June at 5pm at the museum, and SAND would be delighted if you are able to join them and some of the subjects in the photographs for a light afternoon tea. The launch event is free but they ask that you book to help plan refreshments. Launch event bookings: wave-project.eventbrite.co.uk.

If you are unable to attend the launch then the exhibition will be at the Museum & Art Gallery for the whole of June, with a smaller sub-exhibition also on show in the Gallery at the Theatre Severn (this one is there throughout both June and July). It’s also possible to see the photos on the gallery page on SAND’s website: www.lgbtsand.com/wave-project-gallery/

SAND is a community organisation whose goal is to improve the experiences and increase the expectations of LGBT+ people as they age in Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin. Find out more at lgbtsand.com

The project’s funder, LGBT+ Futures: Equity Fund, is a two-year £786,000 partnership between Consortium and The National Lottery Community Fund, designed to help community-led and grassroot organisations supporting some of the most under-represented and marginalised LGBT+ communities.

ENDS

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