Be Bold Books

Aim

We want to create a warm, safe, and cosy space for queers and LGBT+ people to have access to wonderful queer books in Brighton.

Hello!

We are Shane and Emma, a queer couple who have a dream. Emma is an artist and bookseller and Shane is a musician and queer historian. 

Be Bold Books is now more important than ever. With queer spaces rapidly disappearing it is so important that we create safe spaces for the queer and LGBT+ community, especially as alarming book bans are accelerating the erasure of our history. We want to preserve our culture and watch it grow!

We want to create a warm, cosy, and fun space where you can grab an iced latte or a hot chocolate, snuggle up in an armchair, and get tucked into an amazing queer book! Our priority is to create a space that actively facilitates community-building and a sense of belonging, in which everyone genuinely feels welcome.

This is where you come in. We need our community's help to get this wonderful space up and running.

The Vibe: 

- Think Central Perk but coastal 

- Nooks to get cosy with your books

- Somewhere to get lost and be found

- A fantastic selection of books, across a wide range of genres (all queer, of course!)

- Excellent coffee and seasonal drinks. 

- Wine nights in the winter, cocktail evenings in the summer 

- Witchy and magical

- Solstice celebrations 

- Community space

- Art events

- Author talks, signings

- Space for community groups to meet (free of charge)

- Space to meet new friends and build new relationships

If this sounds like your kind of spot, please help us get started so that we can build a welcoming, queer, warm, fun, safe, cozy, nerdy bookshop and café!

Funding method

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made by 9th December 2026 at 7:54pm