LGBTQ+ professional networking, done properly.
Out of Office is an LGBTQ+ professional networking series that started in Birmingham and is now established in the North East too. It is for people who care about their work and their communities, who want to meet others in a relaxed setting away from the usual gay scene, and who are happy to talk, listen and be visible in everyday venues.
We meet after work, usually early evening, in places people already recognise from business and civic life. In Birmingham that has included city-centre offices and hotels. In Newcastle and Gateshead, we have used spaces such as law firms, cultural venues and riverside bars. The format is always simple: arrive after work, pick up a badge, help yourself from the shared bar tab and talk to the people around you.
Tickets are typically £10 - £15. Every pound from ticket sales goes straight behind the bar as a tab. Sponsors and hosts help cover everything else, including booking fees, so your ticket genuinely funds the drinks. Once the tab is gone, the event turns into an ordinary pay-as-you-go night out.
There are no long speeches and no ice-breakers. Some people stay near the door, others drift across the room. Some arrive with colleagues, many come on their own. The constant is a room full of people who understand why visibility matters and who are willing to look out for each other.
GATESHEAD Millennium bridge lit in rainbow colours by Gateshead Council for the #SaferToBeMe Global LGBTQ+ human rights summit from ReportOUT
Tickets for our events:
Tickets for Out of Office events are available in advance via Eventbrite.
Each event has its own ticket link, which will be shared when bookings open.
To stay up to date with new events, ticket releases and practical details, we post regular updates on our regional LinkedIn pages. That’s the best place to find the latest information.
Please note that tickets are required for entry to all events. There are no tickets or entry on the door.
Why visibility matters
Out of Office exists to bring LGBTQ+ people and allies into everyday venues where no one is expected to do anything other than get on with their evening. Over time, that normal, visible presence helps make workplaces and city centres feel more open. It also makes it easier for people who are new to a city, early in their career or changing direction to see that there is already a network in place.
We are happy to be part of Pride programmes, summit calendars and civic conversations when there is something useful to add. We are equally happy when the only outcome is that people go home having had a good night and a couple of new contacts.
Birmingham and the North East
For the latest information on what’s going on locally, have a look at our LinkedIn pages, where you’ll also find event details.
While you’re waiting for the next event, listen to Pride Radio, our media partner.
Where we are
Out of Office currently runs in two cities:
Birmingham – long-established, organised by PR consultancy Reeves.
North East – based in Newcastle and Gateshead, powered by Reeves and the CBI North East
Each city has its own LinkedIn presence so you can follow what is happening locally:
Hero Image credit: BIRMINGHAM Birmingham Hippodrome - it’s Global Rainbow, an ongoing public artwork by renowned Artist, Yvette Mattern, sharing a vision of hope and peace for 2021. It’s nothing to do with Out of Office, but a laser focussed rainbow beamed across our city deserves to continue to be celebrated.