Queer Arts Festival (QAF) is returning for 2021 with Dispersed – it’s not easy being green, opening July 24, 2021.
After a digital-only festival last year, the easing of COVID restrictions allows Vancouver’s premiere artist-run festival to return for its first hybrid format festival. For its 13th year, QAF 2021 Dispersed: it’s not easy being green, runs July 24 – August 13, 2021, presenting a suite of visual art, performance, music, literary and workshop events in a dispersed format across the Lower Mainland; venues include the Sun Wah Centre and rooftop overlooking historic Chinatown, to Mountain View Cemetery, False Creek and QAF’s usual stomping grounds, the Roundhouse Community Arts Centre.
Following the success of last year’s online festival, QAF will also have a streaming component on queerartsfestival.com. Starting everything off is ArtParty! the Festival Opening Gala at Sun Wah Centre in Chinatown on Sat Jul 24, 7 – 10pm. The Gala launches Dispersed in champagne style with DJ O Show! Other festival highlights include; it’s not easy being green: Curated Visual Art Exhibition, from Saturday July 24 – Friday August 13 co-curatored by Jeffrey McNeil-Seymour and SD Holman; a punk Japanese folk music and dance performance from Onibana Taiko and Alvin Erasga Tolentino, Saturday August 7th; and a reimagining of Annea Lockwood’s 20th-century classic, Piano Burning, where fire becomes a vehicle for reclamation and decolonization (yes, we are burning a piano), August 8th. The festival closes Friday August 13 with Glitter is Forever, the festival closing from the Sun Wah rooftop with DJ O Show and a final chance to see all the art @ QAF 2021.
For the full QAF line-up, schedule and to buy festival passes, visit queerartsfestival.com