One-day event to delve into the phenomenon of RuPaul’s Drag Race

The interdisciplinary symposium, hosted by the University of Salford and Manchester Metropolitan University’s School of Digital Arts (SODA), will look at Ru Paul as a pop culture sensation and the rising popularity of drag superstars.

Hosted by the University of Salford’s Dr Danny Cookney and SODA’s Dr Kirsty Fairclough, attendees can expect special panel sessions analysing the drag makeover challenge, how RuPaul’s Drag Race tells the story of queer pop culture through the show’s ‘Snatch Game’ and how hashtags and handles has boosted the popularity of the show in the online space, to name a few

With experts in the field from Knoxville, Chicago and Pasadena in the US and Croatia and Germany, it’s set to be a truly international affair.

Dr Danny Cookney says: “This grew out of a public discussion that Kirsty hosted at Manchester’s Cultureplex in January which focussed on RuPaul – something that prompted a lively and intelligent debate about the various aspects of RuPaul’s Drag Race. I suggested that there was a lot that couldn’t be unpacked in one evening - I guess drag queens don’t travel light - and this symposium is the result: a series of themed panels available to anyone interested in the kind of research that may be emerging as this particular TV franchise continues to develop.”

Dr Kirsty Fairclough adds: "I am delighted to be co-hosting the symposium with the University of Salford's Dr Danny Cookney. RuPaul's Drag Race is a fertile site for debate around a range of issues and subject matter which we will be discussing in detail during the event. With a group of international speakers and an audience of scholars and fans, Supermodels of The World is set to be an exciting and lively celebration of a television phenomenon."

The event is supported by the New Adelphi Theatre and will take place from noon until 9.45pm on 25 September 2020. Tickets are free and available on New Adelphi's website. Please book before 9am on Thursday 24th September to secure your reservation.