D.C.'s popular Little Gay Pub gets new 'GREAT Love' mural thanks to British Embassy

In the Logan Circle neighborhood of Washington, D.C., a popular gay bar celebrated the unveiling of a large mural on the side of its building that celebrates the diversity of the United States and United Kingdom’s LGBTQ+ communities.

The vibrant “GREAT Love is for Everyone” mural now overlooks the bustling streets above the Little Gay Pub. The striking piece of art by Lisa Marie Thalhammer, sponsored by the British Embassy, was celebrated with pink champagne at a joyous ceremony on Tuesday afternoon, marking a colorful testament to the LGBTQ+ community and the evolving partnership between the two nations.

Dame Karen Pierce, the British Ambassador to the United States, shared insights into the mural’s significance and role in representing the expanded relationship between the U.K., the U.S., and the LGBTQ+ community in an interview with The Advocate.

“It’s very good to be able to celebrate the diversity in both U.K. life and U.S. life,” Pierce, who has lived in D.C. for 25 years, noted, adding that the mural serves as a “modern manifestation” of the demographic shifts and enduring bonds between the two countries. She praised the design, featuring an iconic British telephone booth amidst a rainbow of flowers, for its beauty and symbolism of connectivity and community.

The unveiling event, hosted by D.C. Secretary of State Kimberly Bassett on behalf of Mayor Muriel Bowser, brought together diplomats, LGBTQ+ community members, and the artist behind the mural.

Bassett highlighted the strong partnership with the British Embassy and the mural’s significance in celebrating love and diversity, especially on “Galentine’s Day.”

Pierce echoed these sentiments, expressing gratitude for the community’s support and emphasizing the mural’s message.

“Fundamentally, what we are celebrating here is freedom, and we’re celebrating rights,” she said. Pierce highlighted this dedication to legal and social progress as a core element of the embassy’s mission in the United States.

Lisa Marie Thalhammer, the artist, shared her journey and the inspiration behind her work and mentioned the importance of safe spaces for the queer community and the power of art to promote acceptance and visibility. Thalhammer’s remarks at the unveiling were a reminder of the personal and collective journeys within the LGBTQ+ community.

“Historically, bars have been the community centers of the queer community, creating safe spaces for us to gather, for us to support one another, and for us to truly express ourselves,” Thalhammer said.

The “GREAT Love is for Everyone” mural, adorned with symbols of the U.K.’s nations and the universally recognizable telephone booth, not only enriches the aesthetic of Washington, D.C. but also fosters a sense of belonging.

The artist also spoke about the transformative power of her time living in the U.K., which profoundly influenced her artistic vision and personal growth. “It was there in the gay pubs and clubs of Manchester that a rainbow seed was planted in my heart,” she recalled.

Pierce, reflecting on the significance of the telephone booth in the mural, told The Advocate, “Why does the telephone booth get people excited? I think it’s because it just sits there. It’s bright red, that’s always good. It’s an interesting shape. It was revolutionary when it was first designed. And over time, it’s just come to symbolize connection. It was where you went if you needed to get in touch with someone. So I like the idea that it’s immortalized on the wall of this fantastic building to connect people.”

Pierce described the event itself, with its lively atmosphere and pink champagne, as “just fantastic,” showcasing the joy and community spirit that the mural has inspired.

“Where else can you go to drink pink champagne on a workday at three in the afternoon?” she joked.

The collaboration between the British Embassy and the pub encapsulates a year of growth, acceptance, and community support that the pub’s owners—Dito Sevilla, Dusty Martinez, and Benjamin Gander—could hardly have envisioned when they first opened their doors last March.

“We’re obviously elated and incredibly proud...we have been rewarded tenfold by the most wonderful community response we could have ever expected,” Sevilla shared.

This sense of gratitude permeates the ethos of the Little Gay Pub, which has become a space where everyone, from celebrities to local politicos, feels welcome.

Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, actors Billy Eichner and Alan Cumming, and fashion designer Christian Siriano are among the famous faces that have taken a selfie in one of the pub’s famous lavish bathrooms.

The mural, representing a blend of British charm and American spirit, has been a point of pride and a testament to the pub’s role as a haven for all. “For all of the fear we had about starting and getting something specific to the British Empire and all things British, it’s been received remarkably well,” Sevilla said.

Martinez emphasized the collaborative nature of the mural’s creation and the importance of the pub’s aesthetic, which draws heavily on the iconic London pub scene while maintaining its identity as a distinctly American venue for the LGBTQ+ community.

“We always envisioned this wall being done with something... It’s a calling card that I’m glad we’re a part of,” Martinez said.

Gander pointed out the immediate positive feedback from the neighborhood as the mural went up, noting how it has contributed to the pub’s role as a community landmark.

“Everyone walking by was stopping and saying, ‘Oh wow.’...But I mean, everyone talks about it,” Gander observed.

For her part, Pierce said she’s excited to be a part of the community.

“It’s a great honor that people would care enough about what the U.K. represents, that they would allow us to be part of this community and celebrate with us all the things that make an equal and fair community, particularly championing LGBTQ+ rights,” she said. “We’ve been doing pride for a long time in the city now and also in cities around the U.S. It’s a very important part of who we want to be.”