Mighty Hoopla 2023 & 2022

Mighty Hoopla is one of London's largest LGBTQ+ festivals. Our aim was to reintroduce the community to the GMI Partnership as London's leading charity-led HIV service, and increase uptake of HIV prevention tools.

Working with the Festival Director we had a 15metre by 10metre Stretch Tent which became a destination to learn more about our work. Branded as the GMI 'Love Shack' in 2022 and the 'Base Camp' in 2023, I created 4 zones including a 'PrEP N Mix' station, an 'STI Smackdown' game, a 'No Taboo Talons' nail bar, and a Testing zone beside our mobile testing van.

Working with a queer graphic designer, I created a range of assets to match the headliners for each year - a western theme for Steps (marking the 25th anniversary of 5,6,7,8) and an army theme Kelly Rowland (playing with her Commander single and Destiny's Child's Survivor as Beyoncé was also playing in London that weekend). This including:

A wallet-sized 'Brief Guide to GMI'
'Volunteer with Us' wallet card
Stigma-busting stickers
Placards
Zone stickers and signage

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5000 packs of Do It London condoms & lube were distributed through ice cream trays

The PrEP N Mix station was filled with sweets and newly designed resources 'A Brief Guide to GMI' wallet-fold and 'Volunteer with GMI' business card.

I designed Warhol-esque Soup cans for the STI Smackdown which detailed symptoms, transmission testing, and treatment for the 5 most common STIs amongst gay, bi and other men who have sex with men.

Inspired by Charlie Cragg's Nails Transphobia, we loved the idea of being tactial with attendees, giving them a choice of pride and HIV activism inspired designs in our No Taboo Talons nail salon. It also meant that we could talk the need for visibility in addressing the stigma that still faces many of our clients and communities.

We tested 26 people for HIV with XXX clients having never tested for HIV before.

*Staff and volunteer assets gallery

Staff and Volunteers received in-person and online briefings, a comprehensive briefing sheet, and QR code posters to help them navigate and evidence our work over the weekend.

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Are you looking to create an outreach service? Struggling to engage communities in health promotion? Want to influence behavioural change but don't know where to start? Get in touch: [email protected]