Jay Farley: A [Cupboard] Full of Tomboys at Pride In Trafford

Jay Farley brings to the stage their debut book of poetry A [Cupboard] Full of Tomboys, which was created under the mentorship of TS Eliot Award-winning Joelle Taylor and published by Broken Sleep Books in February.

Join Jay Farley – a non-binary, neurodivergent award-winning filmmaker and digital artist – as they unravel the intersections of gender, class and identity through a raw and cinematic lens.

A [Cupboard] Full of Tomboys is a compelling collection, and now show, which unfolds the journey of an older, working-class non-binary individual confronting the limitations of labels. With a cinematic and surreal texture, the poet uses words not only to validate their existence but also to unlock the transformative power of language itself and spark the freedom of expression. From the confines of the metaphorical cupboard to the expansive, defiant explorations of a new, queer world, Farley’s poetry and immersive performance challenges conventional binaries. You’re encouraged to: ‘Come witness poetry that defies the rules, celebrates the complexities of lived experience, and invites you to question, celebrate, and redefine your own truths. This is a night of raw, unapologetic self-expression, where authenticity reigns, and fluidity is free to flourish.’

Joelle Taylor says of A [Cupboard] Full of Tomboys: “This book is a bursting open of closet doors, a superb non binary encyclopaedia, more vital ammunition for the queer canon.” Poet Chris McCabe calls it: “A fast-moving stream of brilliance singing with the rhythms of Liverpool’s streets and the heart-strings of explosively lived experience.”

Jay Farley discovered their non-binary identity in 2022 aged 48, finding their voice as a performer and poet, and subsequently becoming award winning with ‘I Wish I’d Won the Miners’ Strike’, published in How it Started, Creative Futures Writers’ Award 2022 anthology. They are published in the Queer Icons anthology, Sparks, Hot Poets anthology and illustrated in Woop Woop magazine.

Part of Pride In Trafford, which runs from Tuesday 13 May until Sunday 18 May 2025, mainly at Waterside Arts in Sale, please note that this event takes place at Oyez Arts in Altrincham Town Hall, Altrincham.