By Pepper Parr
September 9th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
It was an event that is difficult to describe.
That it packed, really packed the Art Gallery Friday evening is what struck most people.
It was certainly one of the most diverse crowds this city has seen in one place with the LGBT crowd out in force.
The event was part of a Gender Conspiracy that is the prime project from Senior Art Gallery Curator Stephanie Carte who was appointed to the position last November.
A Family Read Along – was part of a mixed bag of events with a consistent theme – inclusivity.
Events that had actors, performers on a runway were standing room only – there were no chairs,
Was it an art show – there were pictures on the walls. Was there an overall theme – that was difficult to tell.
Is there more – apparently.
There wasn’t much in the way of a printed program. No one stood and made announcements.
You mingled – early in the evening there was wine tasting, finger foods and a huge offering of donuts.
Then there was a Read Along for Families that reminded one of a Sharon, Lois and Bram, followed by a Night of Cabaret with Drag Queens on the runway.
If it has taken you a bit to get used to LGBT – get used to the fuller term LGBTQI2s
Earlier in the week, free-lancer Doreen Nicoll did a piece on what Stephanie Carte had in mind.
According to Carte, “Burlington looks like how I want my programming to look. Black, brown, Indigenous, queer, immigrant, and intersectional.” She hopes more young families and people see themselves reflected in the exhibitions. And she is accomplishing that, one show at a time.
There will be more.
Related news story.
A Gender Conspiracy being formed at the AGB.
