Every February the National Maritime Museum runs Out at Sea, a family festival celebrating LGBTQ+ histories from the maritime world.
The festival is developed in collaboration with the LGBTQ+ community and we are offering a family or families from the LGBTQ+ Family Network the opportunity to work closely with an artist to have an output at the festival.
2026-7 LGBTQ+ Family in Residence
We are excited to invite LGBTQ+ families to join our banner project with visual artist Shona Watt.
Families will make artworks that will then create a new set of hanging banners, celebrating LGBTQ+ History Month in the National Maritime Museum in February 2027.
Join Shona at one or all of the following hands-on creative workshops at the National Maritime Museum:
- Saturday 17 October 2026, 11am-3pm
- Tuesday 27 October 2026, 11am-3pm
- Saturday 21 November 2026, 11am-3pm
You can also join an introductory conversation with Shona at the next LGBTQ+ Family Network session on Saturday 19 September 2026, in the Group Space between 11am and 1pm.
If this sounds like something you family would be interested in, and you're be able to attend one or both of the sessions, please sign up via this form by 12 October 2026.
Alternatively, you can get in touch with rocroker-ahmed@rmg.co.uk if you'd like to know more.
Please note, you're still welcome to join us if you can only make one session, but we encourage you to come to as many as you can.
Previous years
2025 LGBTQ+ Family in Residence
In 2025, families worked with textile artist Maria Mautino to create a quilt. The quilt reflected their journeys as a family and were spread across a 'spilhaus' shape, to echo our new Ocean Map. The quilt went on display in the newly reopened West Street showcase in Ocean Court, alongside other co-curated community outcomes.
2024 LGBTQ+ Family in Residence
In 2024 we focused on cartoons and comics, creating a zine together led by artists Lizzie and Khadija.
2023 LGBTQ+ Family in Residence
In 2023, a group of families from the LGBTQ+ Family Network came together to create an animation to be premiered at the Out at Sea family festival. Families worked with animator Lily Ash Sakula to create a short animated film, exploring storytelling, storyboarding, animation and editing over three sessions at the Museum.
Watch the film and learn more about the project here.
2022 LGBTQ+ Family in Residence
In 2022, Aden, Dylan, Julia and Laura became the Museum's first Family in Residence.
During their residency, they worked with artist Jenny Staff to create a family-friendly workshop for Out at Sea, our annual LGBTQ+ family festival.
Find out more about their experience in their blog.
When is the next project?
The programme runs in winter/spring each year. We are now recruiting for the 2026 residency!
To join the LGBTQ+ Families mailing list and hear about our next residency, complete the form at the bottom of this page: LGBTQ+ Family Network | Royal Museums Greenwich.
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