Love is in the air as the community comes together to celebrate Valentine’s Day. From cosy candlelit dinners to romantic ceramic workshops, our roundup of events promises romance, connection, and a touch of magic. Whether you’re a hopeless romantic or simply seeking a memorable experience with a friend, join us as we explore the love-filled happenings in the Govanhill and neighbouring Southside this week.

Delve into Glasgow's Southside on Queering the Map, an online platform cataloguing anonymous LGBTQ+ experiences, from joyous moments to acts of courage. Contribute to the archive and celebrate LGBT History Month by uncovering hidden stories.

Glasgow is welcoming Decolonise Fest (DF) this Saturday 11 November at Mono for the first time, with a stellar lineup of three Glasgow-based performers: Kapil Seshasayee, R.AGGS and Trishaaa. 

Local groups like The Survivor Arts Community and The Cathkin Blazes have been running projects geared towards survivors, with the aim of providing a safe space to socialise, create and play.

Something very exciting is happening with the young people in Romano Lav’s Community Catalyst programme. This short piece of writing is an attempt to capture something of it.

The international biennial festival, Take Me Somewhere, returns to Glasgow for the first time since 2019. Performances will take place across the city with many site-specific installations, including at Tramway, from 13 to 28 October 2023. 

Next up in our Behind the Portrait, where we profile people snapped by Simon Murphy, we speak to the up-and-coming artist Trackie Mcleod about his work, growing up in Glasgow and why Scots get his art the most.

Queer and trans identity can mean it isn’t always comfortable to be relaxed and authentic in a gardening environment, and having groups that don’t present this barrier can be important. Dylan Beck reports on the growth of  LGBTQI+ inclusive gardening groups in the Southside.

Govanhillian Jillian Mendoza, a life-long resident of the neighbourhood, talks about growing up in the area, the local arts scene, their identity, and their faith, and how exciting new changes to the local community allow for such freedom of self expression.

Sober spaces are being championed by more and more events and venues these days, particularly those aimed at marginalised communities. We spoke to organisers to find out what’s behind this move. 

Initially released in 2021, Adam is a film based on the true story of a young trans man from Egypt seeking asylum in the UK. It was shown as part of the Scottish Refugee Festival at the Glasgow Film Theatre.

Two years after their first in person event was planned (and then cancelled due the pandemic), Book Salon returned to Outwith Books in Govanhill. Journalist Anna Burnside interviewed Louise Welsh about her latest novel, The Second Cut

Since the pandemic hit, there’s been a rise in women and non-binary people in and around Govanhill learning trades that have traditionally been male dominated. We spoke to some of these tradespeople to find out more about their industry, how they navigate it.

After a number of delays, the Scottish Parliament have now presented their revised version of the Gender Recognition Act. We spoke to members of the local LGBTQ+ community to get their reaction.

Govanhill has recently become known as something as a hub for the queer community in Glasgow. Yet the history of the LGBTQ+ people and places in the neighbourhood goes back much further. For LGBTQ+ History Month, Jack Howse digs into some of Govanhill’s queer history.