Category Archives: Press Release

The LGBTQ2+ National Monument Finalists

Have your say! Five design teams have been shortlisted for the National LGBTQ2+ Monument in Ottawa. Canadians have the opportunity to review the amazing designs and provide feedback {it’s hard to pick a favourite}! The feedback survey is open until November 28th.

A collage of conceptual designs for the proposed LGBTQ2+ National Monument

The LGBT Purge Fund is the mobilizing force behind the Monument. It is working in partnership with Canadian Heritage, which is facilitating the development of the Monument in collaboration with the National Capital Commission.

The Monument will acknowledge discrimination experienced by LGBTQ2+ communities and the abuse perpetrated by the Canadian state, including during the LGBT Purge. While recognizing enduring injury and injustice, the LGBTQ2+ National Monument will educate, memorialize, celebrate and inspire. It will be guided by principles of inclusion, Indigeneity, visibility and timelessness.

Michelle Douglas, executive director of the LGBT Purge Fund said, “The five proposed designs for the LGBTQ2+ National Monument are inspiring, creative and powerful. The LGBT Purge Fund is grateful to the design teams for answering the challenge of realizing the vision for this monument and for creating such evocative designs that tell the story of discrimination against LGBTQ2+ communities in Canada. We are now at an exciting stage in the process where we need to hear from people across this country. We want as many people as possible to have their say on these designs and be part of the next chapter of this story.

Completion of the Monument is planned for 2025.

{KA}

Video

Vogue Mapping

{The Calgary Gay History Project is thrilled to bits that queer history in Calgary is getting this fresh artistic treatment—the videos are superb! You only have until this Sunday to check them out. – Kevin}

From Springboard Performance‘s Fluid Fest:

Inspired by Calgary Atlas Project’s A Queer Map, Vogue dancers bring significant queer history sites in Calgary to life. Featuring and inspired by Calgary’s Vogue community, queer history in Calgary, and The Calgary Atlas Project’s A Queer Map: A Guide to the LBGTQ+ History of Calgary {launched in 2019}.

Curated by Vogue YYC and Shandie Ta

Featuring:
Abby, Abhi, Bohlale, DJ, Jared, Kaew, Rocky, Roubert, Sarah, Shandie Ta

Partners: Springboard Performance, VogueYYC, The Calgary Institute for the Humanities, and The Calgary Atlas Project

Words: KEVIN ALLEN
Map art: MARK CLINTBERG
Design collaborator: JEFF KULAK
Graphic design: GLENN MIELKE
Interactive digital map: Timothy Lopez
Video: Devon Carter Wells, Beau Shaw, and Sabrina “Naz” Comanescu
Curation by Shandie Ta

Special thank you to Kevin Jesuino, Mark Clintberg, and James Ellison

Available online until Sunday, November 7 @ 12:00 PM [midnight]

Undetectable

UNDETECTABLE has its Calgary premiere on Sunday, September 26th, 4PM at the Calgary International Film Festival (CIFF). UNDETECTABLE is a deep dive into the hysteria, misinformation, stigma and prejudice that has surrounded the HIV/AIDS epidemic since the early ’80s. Through the eyes of current front-line workers and tireless activists, the film exposes how early societal prejudice is directly linked to today’s rising infection rates.

This is the second collaboration between Calgary filmmaker Laura O’Grady and historian Kevin Allen, whose first project together GROSS INDECENCY: THE EVERETT KLIPPERT STORY was a CIFF award-winner in 2018.

UNDETECTABLE was featured earlier this month at the LGBT Toronto Film Festival where it won the audience award for best short film.

UNDETECTABLE is a TELUS Original documentary and was produced with the assistance of the Government of Alberta, the Alberta Media Fund and Calgary Arts Development, in collaboration with the Calgary Gay History Project.

Join us on Sunday for the premiere at Eau Claire cinema or watch it online at home!

{KA}