Summary
OUT: Scotland’s Queer Book Festival is coming to Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum on Saturday, 17 October, with award winning poet and novelist Jackie Kay set to headline. The festival aims to celebrate and uplift the works of LGBTQ+ authors, poets, and writers.
OUT: Scotland’s Queer Book Festival is coming to Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum on Saturday, 17 October, with award winning poet and novelist Jackie Kay set to headline. The festival aims to celebrate and uplift the works of LGBTQ+ authors, poets, and writers.
Kay is best known for her poetry collection, The Adoption Papers, an exploration on race, adoption, and motherhood.
Kay will be discussing her work and life story, including her time spent at Stirling University. Music journalist and broadcaster Nicola Meighan will be leading the discussion with Kay from 7pm onwards.
Panels focusing on queer feminist writing, history, and storytelling are to be held throughout the one-day event.
Kay will be accompanied by authors Anthony Delaney, Gareth Russell, Jean Menzies, Hannah Kaner, Elle Machray, and MK Hardy.
Stirling Pride, formed in 2023, and cafe-bookshop The Book Nook have partnered with OUT to bring this new event to Stirling.
Scott McMurry, Trustee of Stirling Pride, said:
“We are really excited to be bringing Scotland’s newest book festival to Stirling. For the first time, a Scottish book festival will be solely focused on works by LGBTQ+ authors, poets and storytellers. It has been fantastic to work with the Book Nook on this event as they have been a safe space for queer people and readers for many years.”
The idea of a queer book festival began in 2025. Ariëlle Decroix from Stirling Pride, said:
“The idea of a full book festival grew from the success of our Literary Stage at Pride 2025. It became clear there is a vibrant, exciting and diverse LGBTQ+ literary scene in Scotland, but no specific festival that solely celebrated these voices, so we thought we would set up OUT.”
Co-owner of The Book Nook, Jasmine Forsyth, said:
“We are really excited to bring a new festival to Stirling. The enthusiasm for the event has been great to see and we are really thrilled that Jackie Kay will be our first ever headliner for what we hope will be the first of many OUT Book Festivals in the future.”
Tickets for the event can be found here, starting at £15 for General Admission: www.tickettailor.com/events/outbookfest
Featured Image Credit: Shaw and Shaw
Braw Magazine co-editor for Stirling University’s Brig and a third year English and Journalism student.
