"Grills is a new word I learned yesterday. It's a substitute for girls and I much prefer it."

Step back in time to the 80s, where a vibrant community blossomed at the Camden Lesbian Centre & Black Lesbian Group (CLCBLG). Despite Thatcher’s discriminating regime and public protests, this committed group of lesbians came together to protest, party, and create space to exist as their true selves. In the early 90s, funding became unsustainable and the CLCBLG - a safe haven for so many - had to close its doors.

But why have we never heard of it?!

For starters, the centre’s archives were moved over 400 miles away to Glasgow…

Self-proclaimed queer nerds Vall, Bee, Jaz and Mo delve into the archives of the Camden Lesbian Centre & Black Lesbian Group and take you back to the 80s - to double denim, landlines, and Sony Walkmans.

A textured show, weaving the past & the present, the analogue & the digital, and the joys & frustrations of queer community. GRILLS confronts the parallels of the 80s and 2024: the rise of fascism, the policing of LGBTQIA+ rights, and the continuous closing of essential community spaces.

GRILLS asks:

How do we progress if we struggle to connect with our elders and can’t learn from our past?

Can we imagine a future where LGBTQIA+ & Global Majority voices are truly seen & heard?

And what really happened at ‘Camden Dykes Get Your Claws Out’?