PERCOL

Throughout history, marginalised communities have often found themselves at odds with established institutions, their narratives relegated to the sidelines or erased altogether. The significance of attending to the archives, art, and cultural artefacts produced by these communities cannot be overstated. It requires delicate care and a critical eye to understand what has been preserved, by whom, and for what reasons.

In the NWO-funded Pervserse Collections (PERCOL) project, Dr. Eliza Steinbock addresses these concerns regarding Europe’s LGBTQ+ archives, asking: What is preserved by whom and why? How have these marginalised and often persecuted communities managed to preserve their own history? What can we learn about how to preserve history, categorise it and make it accessible and relevant?

PERCOL embarks on a 24-month journey starting in June, dedicated to exploring the evolution of Europe's LGBTQ+ archives since the 1970s. The project aims to map the growth of queer and trans archives across Europe, examining their dynamics, relationship with state support, and local significance. Steinbock, alongside principal investigators Juan Suárez (University of Murcia) and Glyn Davis (University of St. Andrews), will conduct transnational research with a diverse range of partners, from the Black Queer Archive in Amsterdam to the Glasgow Women's Library and beyond.

In a landscape where the representation of queer and trans culture has often been marginalised, PERCOL seeks to pioneer sustainable strategies for protecting European LGBTQ+ history. Beyond academic pursuits, the project aspires to benefit community members and professionals in galleries, libraries, archives, and museums, with each team aiming to organise a conference and various workshops. 

According to Eliza Steinbock, PERCOL is not merely a retrospective endeavour, it's a response to the ongoing challenges faced by LGBTQ+ communities, where homophobic and transphobic violence continues to persist in various forms. Preserving LGBTQ+ heritage becomes an act of resistance, a testament to resilience and ingenuity in the face of adversity, both present and future. For more information on the project, and other similar work check the Centre for Gender and Diversity page.