My overall research interests sit within cultural geographies and the geographies of music. I am particularly interested in how identity interacts with musical spaces and how this can be thought of in a reflexive manner. I am currently working with Sunderland Music City as a partner non-profit organisation for my PhD thesis. I introduce the concept of ‘queer music ecologies’ to critically investigate queer relationships, experiences and futures within musical, socio-cultural ‘ecosystems’ in post-industrial Sunderland. The project questions how the cultural redevelopment of the city can be ‘queered’ in music spaces. My research engages with queer communities in Sunderland through a creative methods approach including using ‘creative futures mapping’ and workshops. The research will help to visualise and plan queer music events fuelled by participants lived experiences and creative elicitation, as well as further the inclusion of queer voices in local policymaking.
For more information about the great work done by Sunderland Music City, please do visit: https://musiccity.uk/
