This Pride season, SKITTLES is celebrating the power of chosen families with a colourful new pop-up making its way to Manchester this Pride weekend.

The ‘Chosen Fam Cam’ is a vibrant travelling photobooth designed in collaboration with queer artist Ashton Attzs, known for their bold, inclusive illustrations. After stops at Pride in London and Brighton, the installation is finishing its journey in the heart of Manchester’s Northern Quarter on Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 August.

Far more than just a photo opportunity, the booth offers a joyful space to capture the people who support, uplift and love us unconditionally. Attzs’ design features a lively mix of characters enjoying hobbies and community spaces, from baking and gardening to line dancing, video gaming and women’s football, reflecting the many ways chosen families show up in everyday life.

“In creating the design, I wanted to highlight the different communities and interests that can make up chosen families today,” said Attzs. “I took inspiration from groups I’m part of myself and the spaces my friends cherish.”

Visitors can write a message to their chosen family on the Chosen Fam Cam at Manchester Pride this weekend

placeholder image — Visitors can write a message to their chosen family on the Chosen Fam Cam at Manchester Pride this weekend

Set against a specially created SKITTLES mural celebrating the diversity of LGBTQ+ communities, the Manchester pop-up invites pride-goers to strike a pose and leave with their own Chosen Family portrait.

Florence McGivern, SKITTLES Senior Brand Manager, explained: “The bond between friends and community groups can be liberating and transformative. Chosen families prove that family is about letting your colours shine, not just biology. We’re so excited to be bringing the Chosen Fam Cam and mural to Manchester – a city with such a rich queer history – to celebrate pride and create a space where people can capture memories with those who matter most.”

Visitors will receive a link to their photos to share online, with SKITTLES encouraging everyone to post using @uk_skittles and the hashtag #ChosenFamily.

The installation also forms part of SKITTLES’ ongoing support of the LGBTQ+ community through its partnership with Queer Britain, the UK’s first national LGBTQ+ museum. Together, they are spotlighting the enduring role of chosen families throughout queer history.

The Manchester event marks the final stop for the Chosen Fam Cam this summer, after its earlier outings in London and Brighton.