Get your art on! This year’s lineup for the Queer Arts Festival (June 17-29) includes a wide variety of engagements for visual arts, dance, theatre, music and spoken-word enthusiasts on the theme of two-spirit and indigenous identity. Here is a complete listing of the events in store.
Art Party! Gala Opening Reception
June 17, 7pm-11pm
Roundhouse Exhibition Hall
Art and conviviality converge at the grand opening of the Queer Arts Festival.
UnSettled
June 17-29
Roundhouse Exhibition Hall
Two-spirit Siksika (Blackfoot) visual art curator Adrian Stimson curates an exhibition of indigenous work exploring two-spirit identity, featuring:
Ahasiw Maskegon-Iskwew • Aiyyana Maracle • Barry Ace • Cease Wyss • Dayna Danger • George Littlechild • Jessie Short • John Powell • Michelle Sylliboy • Mike MacDonald • Raven John • Richard Heikkilä-Sawan • Robert Houle • Rosalie Favell • Thirza Cuthand • Ursula Johnson • Vanessa Dion Fletcher • Wanda Nanibush
Curator Panel
June 18, 2pm
Roundhouse Performance Centre
Adrian Stimson and artists Wanda Nanibush, Vanessa Dion Fletcher, Michelle Sylliboy, John Powell, and George Littlechild discuss their art and the curated exhibition.
Lay of the Land
June 19, 7pm
Roundhouse Exhibition Hall
Writer readings: A Night of Indigenous Erotica. Samantha Nock curates readings in this annual soirée to tantalize and titillate.
MSM [men seeking men]
June 20 and 21, 7pm with lemonTree creations
Roundhouse Performance Centre
A dance deconstruction piece inspired by online ‘hook-up’ culture.
Unsettling Colonial Gender Boundaries
June 23, 7pm with VIMAF
Roundhouse Performance Centre
June Scudeler and Lacie Kanerahtahsóhon Burning curate media art, including new commissions by Chandra Melting Tallow and Thirza Cuthand. Talk to follow.
Cris Derksen’s Orchestral Powwow
June 24, 7pm
Roundhouse Turntable Plaza
Twenty-one performers, including Cris Derksen, The Chippewa Travellers, hoop dancer Nimkii Osawamick and Allegra Chamber Orchestra.
Artist-Led Afternoon
June 25, 4pm
Roundhouse Exhibition Hall
Site-specific and culturally focused teaching through storytelling from local media artist and ethnobotanist indigenous plant diva T’uy’t-tanat-Cease Wyss.
Technical Knockouts
June 26, 7pm
Roundhouse Performance Centre
Poetry and electronic music: Kinnie Starr, DJ O Show and Tiffany Moses performing with guests from QAF’s young artist program.
Greed / REsolve
June 27 and 28, 7pm with Full Circle First Nations Performance
Roundhouse Performance Centre
Commerce, greed, and disenfranchisement are key themes in these paired dance works by Byron Chief-Moon and JP Longboat.
Glitter is Forever: Queeraoke Closing Party
June 29, 7pm til late
The Junction
QAF’s final blowout – revel in community, effervescent refreshments, and karaoke with glitter.
THE SATELLITE ACADEMY
Dialogues, discourse, outreach.
Pride In Art Community Art Show
June 17–29
Roundhouse Great Hall
From the roots of the Queer Arts Festival, this open visual art exhibition honours our founder, two-spirit artist Robbie Hong.
Art Salon
June 18, 4pm
Roundhouse Exhibition Hall
Mohawk artist Lacie Kanerahtahsóhon Burning hosts a public salon with artists and curator to discuss the themes of the visual art exhibition.
Youth Curator Tour
June 19, 4 pm with Broadway Youth Resource Centre and Directions Youth Services
Roundhouse Exhibition Hall
Curator tour of the visual art exhibition for street-involved youth.
Technical Knockouts: QAF Young Artist Program
June 22–25, 7pm with BYRC, Directions, Qmunity, UNYA
Roundhouse Room C
A female-centred music production drop-in lab for queer indigenous and allied youth, led by Kinnie Starr, DJ O Show and Tiffany Moses.
THE GRID [a workshop]
June 24, 4:30pm with lemonTree creations and the frank theatre
Roundhouse Dance Studio
LemonTree’s Indrit Kasapi leads dance and theatre artists through her organization’s creation process.
Two-Spirit Panel
June 25, 2pm with Full Circle
Roundhouse Performance Centre
A panel of artists and arts presenters on questions of a two-spirit aesthetic and the influence of two-spirit identity on artistic practices.
