Welcome to the Somewhere: For Us Podcast
We're the LGBTQ+ arts, culture, heritage and enterprise podcast for Scotland and beyond, hosted by Jules Stapleton Barnes.
After flirting with a radio broadcasting career in her 20's, Jules has since been immersed in LGBTQ+ community development work in Edinburgh, since 2010. Jules joined the Somewhere team in 2018 and is delighted to be bringing both worlds together to celebrate and champion our community through the click of a button.
"I want our podcast to shine a light on the incredible breadth of queer life in Scotland today; more diverse and deeper than stereotypes could ever capture. To celebrate the power of human connection, finding your community and a safe space where the dark and lightness of conversation leaves you feeling connected, supported and hopeful."
1 MARCH 2025: In this episode, Jules and MP-turned-comedian Mhairi Black share a warm, funny and revealing conversation. Mhairi, an LGBTQ+ icon, and once the UK's youngest politician since 1667, gave an epic maiden speech in the House of Commons as a Member of Parliament for Paisley and Renfrewshire South in 2015, at just 20 years old.
There she endured as an MP and became Deputy Leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) in the House of Commons from 2022 to 2024. She made the decision to retire from political life in 2024, taking to the stage with her debut solo show, 'Politics Isn't for Me', to lift the lid on some of the more absurd and often toxic experiences that shaped her time in public service.
At 30 year old, she reflects warmly and openly with Jules on her life so far, including her experiences of coming out, an ADHD diagnosis and finding queer community, revealing how "surviving" an often treacherous workplace led to a journey towards a happier, healthier life.
22 DECEMBER 2024: In this episode, the warm, funny and hugely talented Scottish musician Kim Carnie settles down with Jules for a soothing chat about music, life and love.
Scottish folk singer and winner of our 2024 Unicorns Arts Award, Kim Carnie chats to Jules as her new solo single, Middle of Hope is released, and just days after the Scottish premiere of a special documentary Kim Carnie Out Loud. Born and raised in Oban, Kim shares her intimate connection to the Gaelic language, her experiences of rural culture and her love for the Scottish folk scene whilst exploring with Jules how it feels to be a queer person in traditional communities.
Featured musical clips in order:
Nighean Sin Thall, performed by Kim Carnie and produced by Donald Shawand
Middle of Hope, performed by Kim Carnie and produced by Innes White
And So We Gather, performed by Kim Carnie and produced by Donald Shawand
1 SEPTEMBER 2024: In this episode, Jules meets the team and participants at Portobello Pride.
The Portobello 'Porty' community have hosted their third Pride festival in Edinburgh's town of Portobello, the seaside suburb.
Jules sets off on an unplanned, day-long adventure to find out how this small regional event with LGBTQ+ organisers at its heart, is building a better community for everyone.
17 JULY 2024: In this episode, Jules meets award-winning author and performance poet Dean Atta, as he introduces us to his new memoir, Person Unlimited: An Ode to My Black Queer Body. In this touching and revealing episode we hear about how the deeply personal book stays grounded by its focus on the body "starting at the crown moving through to the roots". The courage present throughout all Dean's work is reflected in the conversation and both Jules and Dean touch on serious topics alongside the defiant, whimsical joy he brings to the episode.
CW: brief references to sexual assault, homophobia, racism and depression
20 JUNE 2024: In this episode, Jules spends some extra special quality time with Scottish national treasure and former Makar, the wonderful Jackie Kay.
In a rich and insightful conversation, Jackie tells Jules about stories of her university days, meeting Maya Angelou and the challenges of grief. With the release of her new collection "May Day", Jackie shares tales of activism, creativity and community in a magical episode not to be missed.
24 MAY 2024: In this episode, Jules gets up close and personal with iconic lesbian singer Horse McDonald, in a very special conversation covering music, collaborations, inspiration and the singer's continuing desire to leave the best possible musical legacy.
Now on her 11th album, and with a career spanning 30 years, you'll discover some wonderful insights into the craft of music-making and some special stories along the way. Recorded in Glasgow's Mitchell Library, make sure you make time for Horse in conversation with us!
20 DECEMBER 2023: In this episode, actor John Bell has a frank and funny natter with Jules about his life on Dr Who, the Hobbit films and Outlander.
John Bell has been standing out on the small and big screen since 2007 and has been involved in some of TV and Film's most iconic productions. As a 10 year old he won a part in Dr Who which has since led to a fantastic career playing Bain in the Hobbit film series and longstanding role of Ian Fraser Murray aka 'Young Ian', in Starz TV's epic adventure, Outlander. Hear How does it feels to be part of some of the world's biggest fandoms!
Also listen out for a Somewhere for Us Podcast EXCLUSIVE around 37 minutes in…
18 NOVEMBER 2023: In this episode, Jules chats to one of Scotland's most respected bass players. Following the episode with Greer Ralston and Rachel Dax, Jules heads to Glasgow to meet Lorna who currently features in Ralston's latest exhibition.
Lorna is positively gleeful about playing alongside her childhood hero, Horse, and can be found sparkling alongside her with full band and strings, on some the UK's most iconic stages. More info on Horse's The Road Less Travelled 2023 tour here. Lorna and Jules talk role models, custom-made guitars and the future of queer music. We also hear how it feels to have your stage wardrobe immortalised in paint!
6 NOVEMBER 2023: Jules delves into the colourful world of Fine Artist, Greer Ralston and Writer, Director, Producer, Novelist and Founder of LezDiff, Rachel Dax, as they prepare to release a Dax's forthcoming film documentary, Giving it All to Art. Dax and Ralston forged a friendship during the Pandemic that has brought their artistic and personal worlds together and they share their mutual passion for supporting and championing fellow LGBTQ+ artists.
In this episode, find out what's drawing Greer back to her roots as a figurative painter, how painting clothes is reconnecting her with her community and why Rachel can't wait to shine a new light on her work and the women behind the paintings. Join Jules, Greer and Rachel as they also venture out to see Greer's exhibition, ‘Under The Surface’ on show at the Stirling University Innovation Park.
6 AUGUST 2023: Pride, allyship, art and language bring Rujazzle, Katucha Bento and Jules together for an intimate episode reflecting on and looking beyond Pride season in Scotland. "We are here building something together and to hold space for the dreamwork" says Katucha, of the anti-racist and anti-transphobic community she's hoping for.
In this episode, Ru, Katucha and Jules share their Pride stories; past, present and future and what they're hopeful for living in Scotland. We talk love, language, allyship and how sometimes we need to "kill joy" to build a better, safer world.
CW: Mentions of racism, homophobia, transphobia and a brief mention of suicide
2 APRIL 2023: In this episode, Jules heads to the Cairngorms National Park. In a special podcast co-produced by Alice and Eoin from Grantown Grammar School in Grantown on Spey, we find out more about what life is like for young LGBTQ+ people living rurally in Scotland.
This podcast has been supported by the Scottish Government and the Cairngorms Trust in partnership with the Cairngorms National Park Authority
4 DECEMBER 2022: In this episode, Jules chats to Coinneach MacLeod, or as he's known to his rising fanbase both home and abroad, The Hebridean Baker.
With mountains between them, Jules and Coinneach have an intimate chat about the intersections of food, heritage and identity, mental health, his epic love story with his partner Peter and how's he's unexpectedly becoming the LGBTQ+ role model he dreamt of as a boy growing up on the Isle of Lewis.
This podcast has been supported by the Rural Community Engagement Fund from Support In Mind Scotland.
26 AUGUST 2022: It's Scotland's Year of Stories (2022) and in this episode Jules is in conversation with queer Zimbabwean writer, performer and curator, mandla rae. Join Jules and mandla as they chat about mandla's first solo show and Scottish debut, 'As British as a Watermelon', the importance of queer friendships and how language can provide a necessary layer of protection when sharing a story like mandla's.
About mandla rae:
mandla is agender and has no pronouns. Raised (by queer friends) in London and now based in Manchester, but would rather be in Scotland. So mandla says!
This podcast has been supported by the Year of Stories 2022 Community Stories Fund. This fund is being delivered in partnership between VisitScotland and Museums Galleries Scotland with support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund - thanks to National Lottery players.
1 JULY 2022: In this episode, Jules talks to lesbian Jewish author Ellen Galford and community activist Tim Puntis about Pride and Love in Scotland as older LGBTQ+ people.
Tim and Ellen share unique lived experiences of Pride and fresh perspectives on love and community that lead the conversation to a natural and informed optimism, revealing how influencers like these two memorable guests, shaped our community long before social media existed.
20 MARCH 2022: It’s our launch episode and Scottish writer Ely Percy chats to Jules about their Saltire-winning Scottish Book of the Year, Duck Feet, the search for a chosen family and why it’s important to write about identity on your own terms.
But it all begins with why Bad Girls was a TV treat best enjoyed alone…
