Late last year, I had the honor to design the cover for Gay City Vol 6: UpClose Personal, to 6th in a series of anthologies published by Gay City Arts representing the best in local and national queer writing, poetry, photography, and visual art.

I wrote the following for the back cover:

Art is the voice, spirit and conscience of every community and is a vital tool for community reflection, dialogue, and pride. Through the arts, we are able to engage in the discussion of issues and ideas in meaningful, thoughtful, and heartfelt ways without the burden of logic and reason.”

I’m proud to call myself a queer artist, because being queer and being an artist are both integral and important parts of my identity. It’s through art, be it writing, photography, illustration, or design, that I’m able to find and express my truest voice. It’s my art that makes me real.

I’m fortunate that I have the means and the outlet to express myself artistically. Not everyone can say the same. Gay City Arts is a program that aims to rectify that. Gay City has a 20 year history of using arts to establish a meaningful dialogue about issue effecting the queer community. They long ago recognizing the value of the arts as a way to communicate about issues that are challenging and, sometimes, troubling. Gay City also houses the only dedicated queer arts performance space on Capitol Hill, their Calamus Auditorium.

If you are a queer artist, or a supporter of the queer arts, you can help make difference by supporting Gay City Arts with your gift or pledge. Even a $15 donation will cover the cost of a ticket to a Gay City Arts performance for someone who cannot afford one. A $250 donation will underwrite the cost of a single performance of a Gay City Arts show.

Please help support Gay City Arts and all of the wonderful work they do for queer artists and the queer community. Whatever your level of support, you can be assured that it will do some genuine good. Visit gaycity.org/queerartistbecause to make your gift today.

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