By Meghan Power
According to Pride Calgary’s Executive Director, Taylor Sanford, “we heard from our community that what they wanted was to see more work around expanding the community involved and creating more opportunities for engagement through workshops and discussions. With that vision in mind, we ended up exceeding our fundraising goal, raising 60k, and produced a groundbreaking four-day multidisciplinary celebration showcasing the 2SLGBTQIA+ community through art, performances, and workshops.”
Thanks to funding from Calgary Arts Develpment’s (CADA) ArtShare program and local sponsors, the collective was able to create a festival that successfully showcased and infused Downtown Calgary with queer artistry. Not only enhancing the city’s social fabric, but also moving beyond the more traditional Pride events that have solely focused on drag or musical performance. For Sanford another big highlight of the Fȇte was the success of events that fostered intergenerational connections within the community, as well as being able to introduce sponsors into these spaces and to offer opportunities for them to interact directly with the artists and communities they are supporting.
CADA’s funding also helped to ensure that the Fȇte was able to provide paid opportunities for local artists, financially accessible mentorship, and professional development for emerging artists. In total, the festival featured 10 artist exhibits, two featured guest visual artists, a live music band, 15 dancers, three local fashion designer houses, 50 models, 20 local businesses, a photographer, and a videographer. “We reached over 10,000 people through instagram posts, with 402 engagements. Our attendees reflected the diverse audience that is Calgary’s 2SLGBTQIA+ community and allies. We saw over 500 in-person attendees and we offered 200 low-barrier tickets, to ensure accessibility,” says Taylor.
Events included an eco-conscious fashion show, a diverse, intergenerational art exhibit, dynamic performances highlighting QTBIPOC talent, and engaging workshops that helped to foster relationships between emerging and established artists. “Maybe one of our more unique events was the PechaKucha Night #45: Unity, an inspiring evening of rapid-fire presentations exploring the theme of Unity. This event brought together artists, activists, and changemakers to spark innovative ideas and foster community cohesion.”
Since the event, Calgary Pride has continued to seek out and connect with smaller culturally-minded Pride groups, like Baklabayan, a filipinx pride group that has also been welcomed into the collective. “Outreach and connection among like-minded groups is something that our community has been asking for. This platform has helped us expand cultural understanding, helped attendees connect with unfamiliar cultures and artists, and has helped to deepen Calgary’s sense of community. It feels like this collaboration has set a new standard for queer arts celebration in Calgary and Alberta,” says Sanford. “We’ve collaborated in a way we haven’t before and by doing so we are helping to build a creative, connected city where every voice is heard, every story is valued, and every Calgarian is empowered to live a creative life.”