Dorothy Towers is the story of the legendary Clydesdale and Cleveland Towers, two residential blocks in the centre of Birmingham, UK. Completed in 1971 as a social housing development and located adjacent to the city’s Gay Village, the towers’ proximity to the community means they have long been a haven for queer people.

The 16mm film opens a space to reflect on the relationship between architecture, community and memory. It features testimonials from residents and explores ideas of queer kinship and inheritance alongside experiences of HIV/AIDS in the 1980s and ’90s.

The exhibition was accompanied by workshops and discussions on Edinburgh’s queer histories throughout the festival, with partners including the Lothian Health Services Archives and Lavender Menace Queer Books Archive.

Find out more about the public programme here.

The artist extends thanks to the film’s team, including Jamie Harding (camera operator), El Jones (archivist and editor), Chris Keenan (cinematographer) and Lai Power (composer). 

Dorothy Towers is supported by Arts Council England, National Lottery Heritage Fund and Paul Hamlyn Foundation. In Edinburgh, Dorothy Towers is supported by the PLACE Programme, a partnership between Edinburgh Festivals, Scottish Government, City of Edinburgh Council and Creative Scotland, with additional support from Edinburgh World Heritage.

Fairy Heights

‘Fairy Heights’ is a short film was commissioned by EAF Curator Eleanor Taylor as part of the Sean Burns Dorothy Towers Public Programme. Fairy Heights was a colloquial name given to a housing block in Edinburgh’s Grassmarket which was home to a tight knit queer community during the 1990s and ‘00s. The interviews explore the personal experiences of previous inhabitants of Fairy Heights – and the importance of the space for fostering community. With contributions from Bob Orr, Sigrid Nielson, Leo Devlin, Mel Hamilton, Stephen McGowan, Graeme Hawley and Ally Van Tillo, the film captures the energy of an emerging club culture, and the ways in which residents supported one another during the AIDS crisis. 

Commissioned by Edinburgh Art Festival as part of Sean Burns’ Dorothy Towers Public Programme 2023 in collaboration with Lavender Menace. Filmed and edited by Tao-Anas Le Thanh, interviews by Alice Mainstone and Joe Robins.