West Midlands queer arts festival appoints Rico Johnson-Sinclair in new managerial role

A West Midlands queer arts festival has announced the appointment of its first Festival Manager.

Rico Johnson-Sinclair joins SHOUT, the Festival of Queer Arts and Culture, which celebrated its 10th Anniversary last year.

Leading on the artistic, audience and fundraising activities for the Birmingham LGBT project, Rico becomes the event’s first-ever Festival Manager.

Already a well-known and highly respected figure having worked across a variety of high-profile cultural activities in the West Midlands, including SHOUT, FLATPACK, Coventry City of Culture and the BFI Film Hub Midlands, Rico also created CineQ, a Birmingham based film festival for QTIPOC (Queer, Transgender and Intersex People of Colour).

With plans already underway for the 2020 Festival’s return in November, Rico will be working with artists and partners to ensure that SHOUT continues in its role to deliver a compelling and engaging Festival within the context of COVID-19.

Rico Johnson-Sinclair said: “I’m honoured and excited to be offered the role of Festival Manager at SHOUT Festival, in particular working to develop and facilitate the amazing queer art and artists here in Birmingham and champion queerness and inclusion across the region.’

Commenting on Rico’s appointment, Birmingham LGBT Trustee Neil Anderson added:

“This is an exciting time for Rico to be joining SHOUT. We are absolutely thrilled by his appointment and look forward to seeing how under Rico’s stewardship we build on the successes of the last decade and look towards the next ten years.”