Nottingham Rainbow Quarter opens in the Heart of Pride Month

Photo credit: Tom Platinum Morley

The official launch of the Nottingham Rainbow Quarter will take place on Wednesday 17 June, marking a major milestone for the city’s LGBTQ+ community and a new chapter in recognising queer history, culture and contribution in Nottingham. The project is being led by local LGBTQ+ rights non-profit Nottingham Pastel Project and represents the culmination of more than two years of development, collaboration and support from a dedicated community panel. The launch date has been publicly confirmed for 17 June 2026, with the Quarter centred on Broad Street, Carlton Street and Heathcote Street in Hockley. 

Created to increase visibility, celebrate local LGBTQ+ culture, and formally recognise an area already deeply connected to Nottingham’s queer community, the Rainbow Quarter will provide a lasting and visible statement of inclusion in the city centre. Organisers have said the initiative is designed to celebrate the queer history and community present throughout Nottingham and to help put the city “on the UK’s rainbow map.” 

Hockley has long been associated with Nottingham’s LGBTQ+ story and has played an important role in local queer life and activism since the 1990s. Its history includes landmarks and moments such as The Health Shop, the former Mushroom Bookshop, the GAI Project, early Nottingham Pride activity around Broadway Cinema, and longstanding queer-friendly venues on Broad Street. 

The Nottingham Rainbow Quarter will feature a series of visible and community-focused improvements, including heritage plaques, art murals, and a wider framework intended to encourage buy-in and shared identity among local businesses. Plans already outlined for the Quarter include historical plaques, murals, updated maps and signage, and a collective visual identity for businesses operating in the area. 

The project also aligns with Nottingham Pastel Project’s wider work to make public spaces more welcoming and inclusive. Through its YS2 (Your Spaces Too) campaign, the organisation works with venues to identify trans-friendly spaces and support them in embedding inclusive policies and training. 

The launch of the Nottingham Rainbow Quarter has been backed by a broad coalition of supporters from across the city and beyond, reflecting the strength of local feeling behind the initiative. 

Support has been shown by It’s in Nottingham, Nottingham City Council, Notts Pride, Nottingham East MP Nadia Whittome, and Carl Austin-Behan, co-founder of Manchester Gay Village, alongside the many residents and businesses who took part in Nottingham Pastel Project’s Rainbow Quarter Community Consultation. Across that consultation, an average of 85% of individuals and businesses who completed and engaged with the process expressed support for the creation of the Quarter, demonstrating clear community backing for a project designed to celebrate Nottingham’s LGBTQ+ history, culture and future. 

The launch event on 17 June will include a ribbon-cutting ceremony and speeches from local activists, artists, historians and prominent figures from Nottingham’s LGBTQ+ community. Attendees are expected to include local councillors and politicians, drag performers, charities, community groups and businesses, including those engaging with Nottingham Pastel Project’s Your Spaces Too campaign. 

Nottingham Pastel Project Co-Director, Sam Harvey says: "Nottingham Pastel Project exist with the goal of creating a Nottingham that is both safe and welcoming for the LGBTQ+ community. In the face of growing hostility, increasing anti-trans legislation and efforts to return us to an era of Section 28 and Don't Ask Don't Tell, it's more important than ever that our community remains visible, proud and defiant. 

"The Nottingham Rainbow Quarter is key to fulfilling those aims- acting as a visible symbol of our city's inclusivity and commitment to LGBTQ+ rights, highlighting the work of our amazing local community and its history, and proving to local businesses and institutions how, by working alongside each other, we can create a better Nottingham for all."

It's in Nottingham CEO, Alex Flint says: "We're proud to support the creation of a Rainbow Quarter in Nottingham and look forward to seeing it develop, welcome visitors to our city, and support the businesses within it. This exciting project really celebrates Nottingham's important role in LGBTQ+ history and showcases our creative, innovative spirit, as a city which provides community and a place where everyone can feel at home." 

Councillor Matt Shannon, Executive Member for Community Protection, Neighbourhoods and Equalities at Nottingham City Council, said: "The launch of the Nottingham Rainbow Quarter is a fantastic moment for our city and an important celebration of Nottingham's LGBTQ+ communities and their rich history and culture.

"It is right that we recognise the important contribution that LGBTQ+ people have made, and continue to make, to making Nottingham, Nottingham.

"I'm delighted to see the Rainbow Quarter officially open during Pride Month and I want to put on record my thanks to Nottingham Pastel Project, It’s in Nottingham and everyone involved for their passion, commitment and hard work in bringing this vision to life.

“At a time when too many seek to divide us, and when we particularly see increased targeting of our trans neighbours, we are sending a signal that Nottingham is proud of everyone who calls our city home.” 

To get up to date information on the growth and the development of the Nottingham Rainbow Quarter, as well as info on how you can support the local LGBTQ+ community during pride month and beyond, make sure you're following @notts_pastel_project on Instagram.