Gold Coast Rainbow Communities has announced the Creative Arts Safe Space – a fabulous new offering that’s part of the 2024 Gold Coast Pride Festival on Saturday 1 June.
The Creative Safe Arts Space will showcase talented LGBTQIAP+, queer and neurodiverse artists and performers from the Gold Coast and surrounding areas as they host workshops and creative activities for the community during Pride Fair Day at Macintosh Park. Collective and large-scale art making, poetry and comedy workshops will be offered in a sensory safe space.
“We can’t wait for Pride Festival-goers to experience this wonderful sensory space, all-ages and designed to be accessible and safe for the whole community, with special consideration for our neurodivergent folks,” said Danni Zuvela, Co-Director of Gold Coast Rainbow Communities and Gold Coast Pride Festival.
“The Creative Arts Safe Space far away from the hustle and bustle of the Pride Festival main stage to be low-key, low-stress and lightly sociable but is still deeply part of the community! This is a brand-new part of the Pride Festival program and we are offering it in response to feedback from across the rainbow community on the Gold Coast.”
“There is considerable crossover between neuro-divergence and being queer – so offering a safe space for low-key interaction is hugely important. And we believe that there’s nothing quite as powerful as making art together, as a community,” said Zuvela.
“We are thrilled to offer the Creative Arts Safe Space at Festival 2024. We see this as a vital next step for the Gold Coast Pride Festival,” said Vince Siciliani, Co-Director of Gold Coast Rainbow Communities and Gold Coast Pride Festival.
“We are hugely thankful to the Regional Arts Development Fund, MinterEllison and our generous Festival partners for their commitment to funding the Space and also ensuring our artists are paid for their time and creativity.”
The Gold Coast Pride Festival Creative Arts Safe Space will feature:
JD Zamora – Comedy Space
Queer comedy sensation JD Zamora will lead a low-key space for ideas about making comedy while being queer and autistic. You can bring any jokes you want to work on, or just come along and learn about the art and science of being funny when you’re queer and on the spectrum.
Lucian Marine -The Creating Space
Art therapist Lucian Marine will lead the Creating Space, a drop-in creative chill zone, where you can come and sit, draw, colour-in, collage, or add to our community artwork any way you choose. It’s free and all materials are provided. You can chat, or not, wear headphones, bring your own craft projects or sensory toys, and leave whenever you like. Everyone is welcome, including dogs. There’s magic in being creative together outside.
Briony Barr – Collective Soft Sculpture Space
Continuing her collaborative drawing practice into the third dimension, artist Briony Barr will work with Pride-goers to create a gorgeous, branching, rainbow sculpture, inspired by trees, corals, crystals, fractals and chandeliers.
This communal creative process will connect people in a soft and gentle way as we work together to join hundreds of colourful chenille stems and grow a vibrant new life-form! This is an inclusive activity for all ages and abilities and suitable for non-verbal friends too! Please note, if you are under 6, you will need to collaborate with an adult to connect the chenille branches.
Emma Simington – Queer Poetry Space
Talented local poet Emma Simington will lead a low-key discussion, From the Tip of Your Tongue to the Page, on queer poetry, including techniques and tactics for connecting with identity in an empathetic and poetic way.
Designed by Emma, this space will help folk find language and creativity around otherwise hard-to-express feelings, knowings, concepts. Emma will also provide “recipes” to turn those knowings into poetry. You’re welcome to bring your own poetry or poetic ideas or to just sit back and enjoy the conversation!
Circus Workshop
Roll-up, roll-up! The circus is in town! This Circus Workshop at Gold Coast Pride is an immersive experience for any aspiring performers to hone their skills, discover their potential, and fall in love with the magical world of circus arts.
Join Vince and Cathy as they showcase their prowess and take you on a wonderful journey through the joy and artistry of the circus. Blending acrobatics, clowning, and aerial arts, Cathy and Vince are experienced, caring performance coaches who will generate a truly inclusive, supportive and nurturing circus space for everyone. All ages and abilities are welcome at the circus workshop!
The Creative Arts Space activities and workshops takes place as part of the 2024 Gold Coast Pride Fair Day on Saturday 1 June. They are free and will run from 12 noon to 4.00pm. No need to sign up, or bring anything – just show up on the day. For more information, visit: www.gcrainbowcommunities.com for details.
Image: JD Zamora (supplied)