Iris on the Move: 3000 Lesbians Go To York

Ahead of its 20th anniversary in October, Iris Prize LGBTQ+ Film Festival is taking Iris on the road again, as its annual touring showcase Iris on the Move brings a selection of award-winning short films to FACT.

3000 LESBIANS GO TO YORK (68 mins)

3000 Lesbians Go To York tells the extraordinary true story of how a lesbian bookseller (who also happened to be trans) created the largest gathering of LGBTQ+ women in the UK, and how from 1998 to 2008, the quietly conservative city of York became the unlikely centre of all things lesbian!

For one thrilling decade, thousands of women flocked to the York Lesbian Arts Festival (YLAF) each autumn, to meet their favourite authors, buy books, hear top female artists live on stage and dance the night away at the ‘disco of a thousand lesbians.’

Featuring interviews with world famous writers Val McDermid, Sarah Waters and Jackie Kay and the legendary singer Horse, 3000 Lesbians Go To York is a real celebration of the historical significance of this iconic festival!

Join us on 2 June 2026, as Iris on the Move presents Iris 2025 Best Bits & When Love Broke The Law - book now.

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Accessibility
If you have any accessibility requirements, please inform us by emailing [email protected].
You can also find information about FACT’s accessibility on our website here: fact.co.uk/accessibility or use our Visual Story to prepare for your visit.