I'm Mia, a gay girl from Manchester, and Hearth started because I couldn't find what I was looking for.
Manchester has an unreal LGBTQ+ scene, but I found myself wanting something a little different. Somewhere that wasn't centred around a night out or a big event. I wanted to know who was doing cool things in the city, discover independent businesses, meet creative people and make the city feel a bit smaller.
I was lucky to have an amazing support system when I came out, but growing up in a small town, I didn't really have much queer visibility around me. Looking back, I think if something like Hearth had existed, I probably would've came out a lot sooner.
I'm not trying to reinvent queer Manchester because there are already so many fab people doing amazing things. I just wanted to create somewhere that celebrates them, shares good recommendations and helps more people discover one another.
Working in a creative industry, I'm especially interested in meeting other queer creatives across Manchester. Whether you're a founder, artist, photographer, designer, musician, running a small business or just figuring things out, I'd love to hear your story and share what you're building.
Over the next few months, I'll be meeting local creatives, discovering interesting places and documenting it all here. If that sounds like something you'd like to be part of, or there's someone you think I should meet, I'd love to hear from you.
You can get in touch at ahearthsociety@outlook.com.
— Mia