Midsumma Festival is a celebration of LGBTQIA+ arts and cultures held annually for 22 days over January and February in

Melbourne Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...

, Australia.

History and background

The festival began as a one-week celebration of LGBTQIA+ pride in 1989.

Lesbian Festival and Conference

In 1988, the members of the Melbourne lesbian community started organising the first Lesbian Festival in Australia. Smaller groups were established to organise a variety of exhibitions, sports days, theatre events, a market, and a Lesbian Film Festival. The inaugural Lesbian Festival was held from 10 until 20 January 1990. A number of events and exhibitions were held at the Footscray Community Arts Centre, and the Standing Strong music concert was held at the Dallas Brooks Hall, featuring Judy Small, Mahinārangi Tocker from New Zealand, Deborah Cheetham, American singer-songwriter Alix Dobkin, and others.

Indigenous Australian Indigenous Australians are people with familial heritage from, or recognised membership of, the various ethnic groups living within the territory of contemporary Australia prior to History of Australia (1788–1850), British colonisation. The ...

playwright Eva Johnson's specially commissioned play ''What Do They Call Me?'' was directed by Venetia Guillot and performed by Johnson at the Guild Theatre at the

University of Melbourne The University of Melbourne (colloquially known as Melbourne University) is a public university, public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in the state ...

. Films at the Lesbian Film Festival at the Grierson Theatre and the State Film Centre (now ACMI). The Lesbian Conference was held at Melbourne University between 26 and 29 January, attended by more than 1000 women. Spaces for Koori and migrant women were provided, and over was raised for the Aboriginal Community Elders Services to help fund a new care facility for Aboriginal Elders in Brunswick East. Films shown there were not censored. The 1991 a Lesbian Conference took place at

University of Technology Sydney The University of Technology Sydney (UTS) is a public university, public research university located in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The university was founded in its current form in 1988, though its origins as a Institute of technology, ...

in July of that year, with festival events at various locations around Sydney. In 1992, a third festival was planned for around a month late in the year, beginning on International Lesbian Day and ending on Melbourne Cup Day.

Description

Although the primary festival is held in the summer, Midsumma works year-round to provide artists,

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rs, and culture makers with support and tools to create, present, and promote their work. Midsumma is an open-access festival. The program is made up of diverse art forms and genres, including visual arts, live music, theatre, spoken word, cabaret, film, parties, sport, social events, and public forums Midsumma's visual arts program features exhibitions in and around Melbourne from local, national and international LGBTQIA+ artists. The festival's performing arts program includes musicals, theatre,

cabaret Cabaret is a form of theatrical entertainment featuring music song, dance, recitation, or drama. The performance venue might be a pub, casino, hotel, restaurant, or nightclub with a stage for performances. The audience, often dining or drinking, ...

, film, spoken word, music events, and dance parties, largely produced by local community members. The festival attracts over 240,000 people each year.

Midsumma Carnival

Midsumma Carnival is held during the event's opening weekend and is traditionally held at the Alexandra Gardens. The main stage includes entertainment from the upcoming festival program to showcase and promote later events. The day is brought to a close with the T Dance, a dance party organised by Midsumma.

Open-access events

The majority of Midsumma Festival events are within the umbrella events program, which are created, produced and funded by independent third parties who pay fees for inclusion in the Midsumma Festival. In 2022 and 2023 there were approximately 200 events, which included programming for arts education, a pride march, all ages street party, photo competition and carnival events.

Governance

Midsumma Festival Inc. is an incorporated association, chaired by Judy Small. Karen Bryant is CEO..

Gallery

File:2022 Midsumma Pride March - 51864178517.jpg, Midsumma Pride March 2022 File:2022 Midsumma Pride March - 51865479009.jpg, Midsumma Pride March 2022 Port Phillip group File:2022 Midsumma Pride March - 51865470944.jpg, Pride marchers wearing face masks at Midsumma 2022 File:Midsumma 2009 1.jpg, Midsumma Pride march participants 2009 File:2010 CARNIVAL2.jpg, Midsumma Carnival 2010 File:2010 TDANCE.JPG, 2010 File:AdamLove.JPG, Adam Love at Midsumma File:2010 Drag.JPG, Drag in 2010 Midsumma

References

External links

* {{Clear Festivals in Melbourne Pride parades in Australia Organisations based in Melbourne 1989 establishments in Australia Recurring events established in 1989 LGBTQ culture in Melbourne Festivals established in 1989 af:Midsomerfees