Welcome! As you explore this section, I’ll be sharing what remains of Pinknic’s website, striving to provide as much context as possible for each item.
Important Notice Regarding Content #
Unless otherwise stated, all original writing and content on this website is dedicated to the public domain, with no copyright reserved by its authors. Learn more about the licencing of this website.
However, the copyright status for many of the archived materials related to Pinknic, such as images, articles, or other media, is largely unknown. This website is operated not for profit with the sole aim of preserving Pinknic’s legacy. We sincerely hope that the original creators will appreciate this archival effort.
If you are the copyright holder of any material featured here and wish for it to be removed, or if an image prominently features you and you prefer it not to be displayed, please get in touch. I am committed to promptly addressing any issues brought to my attention.
Exploring The Internet Archive Wayback Machine #
The first stop on exploring the digital remains of anything should be the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine. It’s an absolutely incredible tool that archives websites and provides free access to the past of different websites.
You can explore the records of pinknic.co.uk on the wayback machine yourself if you want to dive into specifics. I’ve attempted to summarise the information on the wayback machine below in a slightly more friendly format with added context.
Homepage #
Unfortunately for us it seems the homepage, www.pinknic.co.uk, was not able to be archived by the wayback machine though the wayback machine does tell us that the first attempted snapshot of the domain was April 21st 2017. However according to domaintools.com the domain name was first recorded as being registered on June 21st 2013 so may have existed before that. I did not want to spend 49$ to access the full report so unfortunately cannot provide more information than that.
Documents #
The Wayback machine archived two word documents, both of which are available to download as the original word format or in PDF format.
Neither of these documents is licensed as public domain, they are likely the copyright of LGBT Sheffield though the specific copyright holder is not known.
How would you like to Volunteer for LGBT Sheffield? #
This document covers the volunteering roles available within LGBT Sheffield which includes volunteering roles helping to organise and run Pinknic. It covers the benefits, time commitments, training and expenses information associated with the role as well as providing a brief overview of LGBT Sheffield as an organisation.
Download | PDF | Wayback Machine
Acts and Performers Application Form #
This document is titled “ACTS & PERFORMERS APPLICATION FORM 2017” and is, as suggested by the title, an application form for performers at Pinknic. It starts with the following opening statement from Kath Housely:
Pinknic!, a celebration for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender community.We will be holding our first event on for our 6th year with an anticipated attendance in excess of 12,000 people.
We are proud to provide a diverse range of entertainment including live music, comedy, cabaret and performance art. We are currently searching for Sheffield and Britain’s finest talent and emerging artists. If you would like the opportunity to showcase your talents to the thousands of pride goers, please complete the attached application form and send to [email protected] attaching any samples of your work and supporting information.
We regret that due to the volume of applications received we may not be able to acknowledge receipt or provide feedback to all applicants.
Kath Housley
LGBT Chair
Pinkinc 2018
It seems to have been modified to update the year to 2018 though the title did not get updated and is still 2017 so it can be assumed the document was reused from at least 2017-2018 and likely longer as it was last recorded by the wayback machine in 2022. The document also gives us a date for Sheffield Pinknic 2018 as Saturday the 14th July though given the different dates across the documents it is not certain that this is the correct date for 2018 and may be for 2017.
Following this opening statement is the application form followed by some notes about pinknic which help provide insight into how those running the event viewed it as well as what compensation was availible to performers at Pinknic.
PINKNIC is a not for profit community event which is free to attend and is funded by donations, fund-raising events and grant applications. We therefore are not able to pay artists fees and proposing artists should be aware of this. Subject to funding we may be able to reimburse / contribute towards travel costs, this will be confirmed prior to the date if it is available. All production costs are met by us.
PINKNIC offers an opportunity to showcase work at a high profile event with an anticipated 3000+ visitors. The event is promoted through an extensive marketing campaign both in print and online.
PINKNIC hopes to be able to act as a stepping stone for emerging artists. We’re fully aware that not being able to offer fees / expenses to everyone involved does mean that PINKNIC is not for everyone. However many participating artists (both emerging and established) apply each year because they’ve enjoyed being part of the experience and want to be involved again.
PINKNIC is always looking for volunteers to help out in many ways both before and during the event. For example by fundraising, stewarding, helping set up marquees, being part of the stage crew or filming / photographing the event. There are many opportunities for getting involved no matter what your skills are, so please don’t hesitate to email us if you feel you could help out and be part of the event in any way possible.
Finally there is an FAQ section that answers a lot of questions relevant to performers but helps us looking back to understand more about the selection process used by the organisers of Pinknic.
Download | PDF | Wayback Machine
Images #
Unfortunately a lot of the images from the website are quite low quality and it is a struggle to identify individuals in the photos. Especially annoying is I was unable to identify stall holders and performers. I have done what I can but if you are able to identify a performer please reach out.
None of the photos are public domain, they are all presumably copyright of LGBT Sheffield though the exact copyright holder is unknown.
Organisers #
There are a few photos through the website of the organisers at Pinknic.
I was not able to identify the individual on the left in this photo but the person on the right in the pink high-visibility jacket seems to be founder Kath Housley.
It is not known which year of pride this photo came from but it does confirm that at one point Pinknic was affiliated with The University of Sheffield, Sheffield Hallam University and GMB Union based on the logos on the banner. There is at least one more logo but unfortunately I was not able to Identify it.
Stalls #
There are some low quality photos of different stalls and their respective stall holders at Pinknic. I was unfortunately unable to identify many of them. I was however able to identify the below image as The University of Sheffield LGBT+ Staff Network.
Performers #
Again these photos are very low resolution, I was unable to identify any of the performers.
Misc Event Photos #
Photos of just the event generally, I could not identify anyone in any of the photos or the years these photos are from.
Logos #
There were other logos for other organisations not related to pinknic, probably due to affiliation with Pinknic. I’ve not included the images in the archive but they were the logos for the following organisations.
Summary of Findings #
Exploring the digital remnants of Pinknic has provided valuable insights into the nature and operation of this community event. While the official homepage (pinknic.co.uk) was not successfully archived by the Wayback Machine, other crucial documents and images offer a glimpse into its legacy.
The Internet Archive preserved two key documents: a “How would you like to Volunteer for LGBT Sheffield?” guide and an “ACTS & PERFORMERS APPLICATION FORM 2017” (which was modified for 2018). These documents reveal that Pinknic was a not-for-profit community event, reliant on donations, fundraising, and grant applications. Performers were generally not paid fees, but production costs were covered, and travel contributions were sometimes available. The application form also highlights the event’s commitment to showcasing diverse entertainment and acting as a “stepping stone for emerging artists.” Notably, Pinknic aimed for a substantial attendance, anticipating “in excess of 12,000 people” for its “6th year” in what appears to be 2017/2018, underscoring its significant scale. We also learned that Pinknic was affiliated with LGBT Sheffield, and potentially collaborated with organisations such as The University of Sheffield, Sheffield Hallam University, and the GMB Union.
Although many of the archived images are low quality, they offer visual confirmation of the event’s activities, including fundraising efforts by organizers (like Kath Housley), various stalls (such as The University of Sheffield LGBT+ Staff Network), and live performances. The difficulty in identifying specific individuals or years in many photos underscores the challenge of reconstructing historical details from limited digital archives.
In conclusion, the digital remains paint a picture of Pinknic as a large-scale, volunteer-driven LGBTQ+ community celebration in Sheffield, focused on providing accessible entertainment and fostering local talent, largely sustained by community effort and a non-profit model.