Meet the "Arts UN" behind Philly's newest Pride festival
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Illustration: Allie Carl/Axios
Five grassroots arts groups organizing a new Pride festival in Philly have dubbed themselves the "Arts UN" — and it's as much a mission as it is a moniker.
Why it matters: Philly Pride Arts Festival — or Philly PrideAF for short — will bring a stacked lineup of events this month to spotlight LGBTQ+ artists and strengthen the city's arts community.
The big picture: Organizers pooled funding and resources to recruit artists for drag shows, opera performances, outdoor concerts and community events, kicking off this weekend.
- The coalition includes Cross Keys Theatre Collective, East Passyunk Opera Project, Liberty City Arts, Prismatic Arts Ensemble and Wear Yellow Proudly.
- The events — taking place at venues across the city — are as much a display of solidarity as an act of resistance, coming as many LGBTQ+ people feel their contributions are under attack.
Zoom in: The festival opens Saturday with "Fear & Self-Loathing in Philadelphia," a cabaret at Franky Bradley's exploring how queer communities have responded to discrimination, hatred and attempts at erasure through protest and perseverance.
- "Opera is a DRAG!" — on June 25 at Franky Bradley's — is a "spoofy," RuPaul-inspired mashup of classical music and "larger-than-life storytelling," Amanda Staub of Liberty City Arts tells Axios.
- Philly PrideAF will also have its own contingent marching in the city's larger Pride Festival and Parade on June 7.
By the numbers: The jam-packed itinerary brings together the talents of nearly five dozen performers.
The festival also includes an internship program, led by Cross Keys Theatre Collective, for emerging artists 16 and older looking for experience in production, operations and community engagement.
What they're saying: "This festival feels like it belongs in Philadelphia," Staub says.
- "There is nothing like the human voice," Katrina Thurman of the East Passyunk Opera Project tells Axios.