SKITTLES Begins Search to Help Fill the Gaps in the UK’s LGBTQ+ Archive

As the UK celebrates 50 years of Pride, SKITTLES has joined forces with GAY TIMES, Queer Britain and Getty Images to fill the gaps within the LGBTQ+ historical archives. The work is part of its #RecolourTheRainbow campaign, which calls on the queer community and allies to submit their own photos from Pride’s history.  

The group are collaborating to help develop and create the LGBTQ+ archives of tomorrow, shaping them into the dynamic and representative collections they ought to be. Together, this group will document and represent the historical and current experiences of the queer community, telling visual stories with authenticity, and accurately portraying and documenting the community’s impact on society. 

It’s no secret that LGBTQ+ representation in archives, museums and galleries is severely lacking. While queer people have always existed, documentation of the community and experiences has often been obscured or erased due to legal persecution, leaving a LGBTQ+ shaped hole in narratives about the past. 

In an effort to look back in order to move forward, the group are hunting for images that have never before been seen, to create a collection which truly represents the varied and vibrant diversity of LGBTQ+ lives. Those who submit their images to recolourtherainbow.co.uk are also in with the chance to have their images published in GAY TIMES and donated to Queer Britain’s collection. 

The work builds on Skittles’ efforts last year to recolour and restore iconic photos from Pride’s history, to bring new interpretation and meaning to these images for younger generations.  

Furthering its work for 2022, the group have partnered with Riyadh Khalaf, MasterChef winner (2020) and broadcaster, who spoke out about his involvement with the campaign: “Our community has so many stories to tell and people to celebrate. It’s terrible that so much of our history has been hidden or erased. The experiences of every LGBTQ+ person are worthy of documentation and I’m proud to stand alongside the brilliant SKITTLES®,  GAY TIMES, Queer Britain, and Getty Images to help make the archives of tomorrow tell the real stories and experiences of our vibrant community. But we need your help!”  

The group are ensuring that this new collection and future documentation is truly representative of the LGBTQ+ community. Existing collections depicting queer people, while important and vital documentation, often do not accurately represent the intersections and diverse spectrum of LGBTQ+ identities. In fact, Getty Images VisualGPS research highlights that when images of queer people are used in the media, they often rely on outdated stereotypes of LGBTQ+ people. For example:  

- 30% of images used show gay men as flamboyant. 

- 29% images of lesbians depict them as looking more masculine. 

- 29% of LGBTQ+ images used feature queer people carrying the rainbow flag.  

Speaking about the findings, Jacqueline Bourke, EMEA Director of Creative Insights, Getty Images said: “At Getty Images, we are a passionate champion of the representation of the LGBTQ+ community and truly understand the power of images to move the world. Our Visual GPS research has critically shown that increased representation impacts greater acceptance. When we choose to shine a light on the previously unseen, we are not only increasing visibility on history, but also challenging harmful, cliched visual stereotypes of the LGBTQ+ community in visuals moving forward.” 

SKITTLES®, Getty Images, Queer Britain and GAY TIMES are therefore on a mission to help nurture the talent and ambitions of the next wave of queer photographers. Together, the group are granting five bursaries to emerging LGBTQ+ photographers who are passionate about the world of media, arts, or advertising  to help inspire and further their future careers. 

Successful applications will be invited to a photography masterclass, have 1:1 mentoring session with a Getty Images photographer, receive editorial and event photography opportunities with Gay Times, have a portfolio review by Getty Images, as well as receive a £1,000 grant, Fujifilm camera kit, a taste the rainbow SKITTLES® package and a tour of Queer Britain.  

Victoria Gell, SKITTLES brand director said: “SKITTLES is passionate about advocating for the LGBTQ+ community, not just during Pride month, but year-round, and we’re excited to continue to use our platform to do our part in supporting the community. We launched our Recolour the Rainbow campaign last year, bringing colour and vibrancy to moments of Pride history, with the ambition to help fill gaps in the LGBTQ+ archive. We are thrilled to continue our partnership with GAY TIMES and Queer Britain, as well as connect with Getty Images, as we look to further unearth never before seen photography and pave the way for more diverse archives through our bursaries programme.” 

Josh Fletcher, executive creative director at GTX, GAYTIMES Group said: “While it’s important to recognise the fantastic work of LGBTQ+ archivists in the UK, the LGBTQ+ narrative has not always been a true representation of the diverse community through traditional archives. This work continues the important and necessary conversation around the gaps in the LGBTQ+ archive while highlighting and celebrating the photography that does exist and is yet to come. Through community submissions and our bursaries, we hope to build on the UK’s LGBTQ+ archive for years to come and ensure that we can truly represent our vibrant community.”  

Joseph Galliano, director and co-founder, Queer Britain, said: “LGBTQ+ people come in all shades and stripes, and we are proud to work with SKITTLES, GAY TIMES and Getty Images to ensure that our collection reflects that. The bursaries represent a solid and practical way of ensuring that this diversity is represented both in front of and behind the camera, giving us all a richer future."