Mistress Sidonia & Miss Marilyn
Kink in the Archive is an annual event (launched in 2022), held at London’s Bishopsgate Institute. It brings the UK Leather and Fetish Archive – which covers over 150 years of fetish, BDSM, leather, rubber, latex, and related subcultures, vividly to life through immersive, after-hours experiences. Attendees can dress in their kinky best (only if they want) and engage with rare ephemera while enjoying; live demonstrations, film screenings, panel discussions with kink professionals and artists, performances, talks and exhibitions that blend historical exploration with contemporary kink culture.
Not Your Average Valentine’s Date Night
The latest iteration, Kink in the Archive III curated by Content Warning – Helena and Harlan Whittingham took place this past Saturday the 14th of February 2026. With an unforgettable evening of fetish history, live kink culture and collective curiosity—not your average Valentine’s date night! With a full timetable of reactivated archival material through exhibitions, screenings, talks, performances and readings.
A Dynamic Dive into Kink’s Past & Present
In The Reading Room, live readings brought rare historical erotica to life. Highlights included Miss Marilyn delivering a captivating, highly performative rendition from her book Rotten Apple – Shagga, far from a dry recitation, her delivery was electric and most revealing. Other readers shared excerpts from vintage sex manuals and obscure erotica.
The Yes Madam spanking bench – Does anyone recognise this?
The Great Hall featured a bold lineup of performances and screenings that instantly set the tone. As I stepped in, the massive 30-foot screen filled the space with striking footage: a naked man staring straight into the camera, urinating directly toward the lens, making me feel instantly at home. Standouts included Operotica, whose boundary-pushing fusion of opera and kink delivered a stunning, provocative show. From The Goss Room I could hear the bold, unmistakable tones of Mistress Whiplash herself – Lindi St. Clare from rare archival footage from one of her infamous kinky parties.
Stefan Dickers, the visionary archivist who created the UK Leather and Fetish Archive in 2016 with unwavering dedication, openly celebrating and preserving over 150 years of kink, fetish, leather, and BDSM culture – the first of it’s kind worldwide.
Mistress Sidonia in Conversation with Stef Dickers
In The Courtyard the highlight of everyone’s evening – OK I’m biased, was when I joined ‘the’ Stefan Dickers, the archive’s creator, for – A Legendary Dominatrix Shares Her Iconic Fetish Legacy, a discussion on my personal journey through the fetish scene. Discussing the origins of the early club scene, how kinks have evolved over the decades, the role cultural influences have played in shaping them and other funny stories that have peppered my journey through the fetish scene. Plenty of those!
The udderly fabulous rubber donkey
From Vintage Erotica to Latex Donkeys
Upstairs in The Exhibition Space – titled Transformation, contemporary fetish makers like Wrapped in Rubber displayed works alongside archive pieces, with the artist and live sculpture/performer Electric Adam. My personal favorite was the wonderful latex inflatable ‘uddered’ donkey. Dominatrix Miss May performed a striking kinky scene with her sub.
Earlier, Dr. Charlie Goldthorpe gave a fascinating talk on her project recreating latex outfits from AtomAge Magazine – founded by John Sutcliffe, sharing her passion for its pioneering role in fetish wear/fashion. With so much happening across the venue, talks, demos, exhibitions and more, I only caught a fraction during my wanderings. Indeed, the incredible Victorian building itself, with its stunning British Art Nouveau architecture, is worth experiencing alone. So if you missed this year’s event, keep an eye out for the 2027 edition, it’s not to be missed!
The Bishopgate Institute’s beautiful British Art Nouveau architecture – it even has turrets.
I was blown away by the incredible talent, artistry, and creativity of the attendees and performers, all sharing their passions. It was a super immersive, welcoming and wonderfully positive evening. So yay to everyone I met, and thank you to everyone involved!
These events highlight the Bishopsgate Institute’s commitment to preserving and openly celebrating kink as part of broader LGBTQIA+ and alternative sexual histories, creating a welcoming, boundary-pushing space for enthusiasts, artists, archivists, and the curious alike. They stand out as rare opportunities to experience archive materials in a dynamic, performative context rather than just static viewing.
Real Femdom 
