How to Queer your festival?

How can festivals promote Queerness, queer rights? How to 'queer' festivals? In the following non-exhaustive list, we gather practical advice for festival makers that we have collected in a number of online conversations with an Alumni working group:

• • Hire queer individuals at all levels, including leadership roles and ensure they are involved in decision-making processes, not just execution.

  • Compile a diverse lineup of queer performers, speakers, and creators across all festival activities, pay and promote fairly.

  • Designate specific areas for queer individuals to gather and feel safe.

  • Consider having community-only events and quiet zones for recovery from overstimulation.

  • Implement an awareness and anti-discrimination training for all staff.

  • Ensure all communications use gender-neutral and LGBTQIA+ inclusive language.

  • Respect pronouns and avoid heteronormative assumptions in all forms of speech, advertising, and signage.

  • Build partnerships with local LGBTQIA+ groups, activists, and artists.

  • Invite LGBTIQA+ groups, activist, and artists to lead workshops or help create queer-centered programming.

  • Thoroughly screen sponsors/donors background for any history of supporting anti-queer policies or movements.

  • Partner with businesses and organizations that align with your values of diversity and inclusion.

  • Offer workshops for attendees to learn how to be better allies

  • Set minimum goals (consider a quota) for queer and diverse representation on stage, within panels, and in your marketing materials.

  • Communicate your safety policy clearly, especially for ‘most visible’ LGBTQIA+ attendees.

  • Provide trained security (check if Queer-friendly!) and awareness staff

  • Develop a Code of Conduct that all employees, freelancers, and vendors must sign, ensuring respect and zero tolerance for discrimination.

  • Consider intersectionality: make sure the festival is accessible for individuals of all abilities.

  • Provide gender-neutral restrooms

  • Offer mental health resources, such as counseling services or hotlines/an emergency number (consider working with external specialists, mental health assistances)

  • Research in-depth and understand local and federal laws that might affect queer attendees or programming, and be proactive in ensuring safety in places with anti-queer laws.

  • Outreach: Reach out to local communities through pre-festival events, workshops, or collaborations to build trust and awareness.

  • Don’t expect the queer community to come to you; make a step towards them.

  • Have trained mediators or designated staff for conflict resolution during the festival.