this poetic: art politic

June is LGBT Pride month, and with this last weekend of June featuring three of the biggest Pride festivals in the country–New York City, Chicago, and San Francisco–you can swim in the slew of Pride-inspired events and performances lined up throughout the week. This author being a Bay Area native, here is a sampling of some of the local festivities of this historic year for California:

• The 11th Annual Queer Arts Festival, now through the end of the month: check out the series of performances, readings, concerts, and cabarets going down all over town every day and every night!

• Queer Open Mic at the Three Dollar Bill Cafe, this Friday 8pm: this twice weekly series that “aims to combine raunchy enthusiasm, warmth and community, unapologetic queer, radical politics and sweet rhythms to create a space for spoken word, poetry and performance that is multi cultural, multi gendered, completely inclusive and dynamic“–this week features poet Daphne Gottlieb. Come and share some work of your own or just come for the sweet words and sweet lovin.

• Humor y Joteria: Performances by Dino Fox, “Coco” Ferrer and Violeta Pantaleon at Galeria de la Raza, Friday 7:30pm: a collaboration of queer Latina/o artists and poets sharing stories through poetry, prose, theatre, and spoken word.

• Maria: Politics. Sex. Death. Men. exhibit now showing through July 3 at Galeria de la Raza, and Artist Talk on July 2, 7pm: “a psychedelic showcase of Magical Realism, sex and gay iconography. Through the use of candid photography, digital collage, costume, video installation and drawings“

and of course …

The 38th Annual San Francisco LGBT Pride Festival, June 28-29, all day at the Civic Center: This year featuring celebrity Grand Marshals Cyndi Lauper and Charo. Highlights include:

• The new Get ENGAGED! Wedding Pavilion–following the California Supreme Court decision to allow gay marriage, come meet civil rights leaders, enjoy cake and champagne, music, and games in this new section of the festival

• The recognition of the Gay Asian Pacific Alliance as the Organization Community Grand Marshal of the parade

• Master mistress comedienne Margaret Cho making appearances at both the Asian & Pacific Islander Stage and Main Stage on Sunday.

• The Writers Village, in its sixth year, located in UN Plaza, featuring prose, fiction, and spoken word from various artists and writers

• And a special presentation of “Kalayaan” by Giovanni Ortega at the artSpace on Sunday–”Kalayaan is a performance piece dealing with the acceptance of being gay in Islamic Southeast Asia. It infuses traditional music, movement and spoken word that represents the struggle of homosexuality throughout other parts of the world“–performances at 1pm, 3pm, and 6pm

Plenty feed to get your queer art on. Happy pride everyone!