Tag Archives: University of Calgary Archives

The YYCGayHistory Collection Launches

It is with delight, wonderment, and gratitude that we announce the launch of the Calgary Gay History Project Collection at the University of Calgary Archives.

Image by Andy Nichols, 2024, University of Calgary Archives Photographs, Libraries and Cultural Resources.

This now publicly accessible collection consists of published material, photographs, audiovisual material, ephemera, and other material related to the Calgary Gay History Project. This includes magazines, business directories and informational brochures, material from sporting events such as Western Cup, Outgames, and gay rodeos, show logs and audio recordings of radio shows, material from theatrical events such as Fairy Tales Film Festival and Third Street Theatre performances, as well as other 2SLGBTQ+ issues and concerns.

Dr. William Bridel, Archivist Kim Geraldi, and the Calgary Gay History Project’s Kevin Allen exploring the collection. Image by Andy Nichols, 2024.

The collection has been gathered from many community organizations and donors, including: Calgary Outlink, Calgary Pride, Kevin Allen, Stevie Lee Anderson, Jonathan Brower, Kelly Ernst, Matt Gillespie, Richard Gregory, Robert Lawrence, Terry MacKenzie and Kenneth Peach, Neil McMullen, Nancy Miller, Judy Moore, Pam Rocker, Gene Rodman, Joey Sayer, Michael Wright, and several anonymous donors.

Pride Flag with historic buttons donated by Richard Gregory. Image by Andy Nichols, 2024.

We thank all the donors to the collection who entrusted us with their materials over the past decade. We are grateful to Dr. William Bridel, a professor at the U of C (and queer historian himself) who facilitated the transfer of materials from Kevin Allen’s overloaded condo to the University. Finally, we thank archivist Kim Geraldi, who handled our collection so enthusiastically and tenderly.

William, Kevin and Kim looking at early Fairy Tales Film Festival Posters. Image by Andy Nichols, 2024.

A launch party for the Calgary Gay History Project collection is tentatively being planned for October. Our Past Matters—now future generations of researchers can explore queer Calgary’s storied past!

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