In an National Post editorial. Posted: May 11, 2010, 12:39 PM by NP Editor: titled: "Pride means paying for your own parade."
The plucky Queer West Arts and Culture Festival got a little mention. A highly unusual occurance, considering how much press Pride Toronto has been getting of late. Sandilands must have cringed, when the Post called the West Toronto queer arts festival "substantive event, against a single 800-pound gorilla."
We do know that Queer West Fest organizers budget is $200 for 2010, compared to Pride Toronto's $2,259,900.00 for a 10 festival. Yet they’re still whining and crying that's it's not enough. QWF can pull off a full eight day festival, without any funding from arts council's, city, provincial and federal funding, have fun and a little parade to boot for the first time this year and with peanuts for the last five years. In 2009 there were $0 dollars, yet they put on a ten festival.
Sneer all you want Pride Toronto. That's Real Moxie at work!
Interestingly enough a Queer West's young adult group is doing a public forum this month calling it. "Queering Urban Geographies/Spatializing Identity." How do particular spaces/places become queer(ed)? How do our sexualized and gendered identities shift as we pass through a variety of environments, contexts (public/private, urban/suburban/rural)? Is there still a need for a distinct and geographically concentrated gay culture in an increasingly diverse an accepting wider society? Is there a difference between “gay” and “queer” spaces/ places/ events/ groups? What is the historical relationship between “bohemian” city spaces and cultures of “alternative”/non-normative sexualities?
National Post Editorial Excerpt
There would be another advantage to the removal of government funding from big-ticket parades: Grassroots organizers wouldn’t have to struggle against a single 800-pound gorilla event that dominates their community’s annual agenda. Not all members of Toronto’s gay community, for instance, like the huge Pride festival: Some organizers of the small Queer West Arts Festival blame the parade’s success for sucking all the funding and attention away from their own, arguably more substantive, event.
Read full editorial here:
http://network.nationalpost.com/NP/blogs/fullcomment/archive/2010/05/11/national-post-editorial-board-pride-means-paying-for-your-own-parade.aspx
The plucky Queer West Arts and Culture Festival got a little mention. A highly unusual occurance, considering how much press Pride Toronto has been getting of late. Sandilands must have cringed, when the Post called the West Toronto queer arts festival "substantive event, against a single 800-pound gorilla."
We do know that Queer West Fest organizers budget is $200 for 2010, compared to Pride Toronto's $2,259,900.00 for a 10 festival. Yet they’re still whining and crying that's it's not enough. QWF can pull off a full eight day festival, without any funding from arts council's, city, provincial and federal funding, have fun and a little parade to boot for the first time this year and with peanuts for the last five years. In 2009 there were $0 dollars, yet they put on a ten festival.
Sneer all you want Pride Toronto. That's Real Moxie at work!
Interestingly enough a Queer West's young adult group is doing a public forum this month calling it. "Queering Urban Geographies/Spatializing Identity." How do particular spaces/places become queer(ed)? How do our sexualized and gendered identities shift as we pass through a variety of environments, contexts (public/private, urban/suburban/rural)? Is there still a need for a distinct and geographically concentrated gay culture in an increasingly diverse an accepting wider society? Is there a difference between “gay” and “queer” spaces/ places/ events/ groups? What is the historical relationship between “bohemian” city spaces and cultures of “alternative”/non-normative sexualities?
National Post Editorial Excerpt
There would be another advantage to the removal of government funding from big-ticket parades: Grassroots organizers wouldn’t have to struggle against a single 800-pound gorilla event that dominates their community’s annual agenda. Not all members of Toronto’s gay community, for instance, like the huge Pride festival: Some organizers of the small Queer West Arts Festival blame the parade’s success for sucking all the funding and attention away from their own, arguably more substantive, event.
Read full editorial here:
http://network.nationalpost.com/NP/blogs/fullcomment/archive/2010/05/11/national-post-editorial-board-pride-means-paying-for-your-own-parade.aspx
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