ONE Archives Foundation announced the full schedule for the 70+ programs slated for Circa: Queer Histories Festival 2023. Circa programs will take place at over 30 venues across Los Angeles from October 1–31. Tickets to all programs are now available at circafestival.org.
Circa’s unprecedented lineup honors LGBTQ+ History Month through thought-provoking exhibitions, readings, performances, panel conversations, and more, showcasing the trailblazing history and cultural contributions of the LGBTQ+ community. Festival programs spotlight the bold artistic talent of over 200 community presenters representing every part of Los Angeles’ thriving arts and cultural landscape, from leading actors, writers, thinkers, filmmakers, and cultural organizations. Participating organizations include the ACLU of Southern California, Celebration Theatre, the Getty Research Institute, Williams Institute, Lambda Literary, Museum of Neon Art, the Goethe-Institut, William Grant Still Arts Center, Gender Justice LA, and more.
Program participants include pioneering cleric and activist Reverend Troy Perry, trailblazing photographer body artist Sheree Rose, criminal defense attorney and civil rights activist Mia Yamamoto, founder of the Black AIDS Institute Phill Wilson, Making Gay History podcaster Eric Marcus, Lambda Literary Award winner Abdi Nazemian, TransLatin@ Coalition founder Bamby Salcedo, cultural anthropologist Dr. Gayle Rubin, artist Dorian Wood, groundbreaking actor Michael Kearns, and young artist and activist Mars Wright and many more.
“ONE Archives Foundation is honored to introduce Circa during this year’s LGBTQ+ History Month,” said Executive Director Tony Valenzuela. “For more than 70 years, our organization has remained committed to elevating queer and trans histories while embracing emerging stories. We take pride in our Los Angeles community coming together once again to uplift our history, especially at a time when the world needs to be exposed to these stories more than ever.”
With the generous support of over 30 venue partners and numerous sponsors, ONE Archives Foundation is proud to present Circa events at low or no cost to the public, engaging audiences of all ages across Los Angeles. The age and geographic diversity, combined with the wide range of topics and program types, aim to make queer history accessible to all.
Sponsors for Circa: Queer Histories Festival 2023 include the City of West Hollywood, Los Angeles County Third District Supervisor Lindsey Horvath’s Office, and California Humanities. ONE Archives Foundation was one of 11 nonprofit organizations and public agencies to receive funding from California Humanities’ prestigious Humanities for All Project Grant, which supports ambitious and innovative projects across the state of California.
“LA County will always stand up and support our LGBTQ+ community,” said Los Angeles County Third District Supervisor Lindsey Horvath. “It is critical now, more than ever, to support the work that organizations such as ONE are engaging in to elevate and amplify LGBTQ+ voices and histories. The Third District is proud to offer our support to ONE Archives Foundation for their upcoming LGBTQ+ histories festival Circa.”
As previously announced, Circa 2023 will open with the ONE Magazine at Seventy exhibition, which highlights the story of triumph and courage surrounding ONE Magazine, the first nationally distributed LGBTQ+ magazine in the United States. Organized by ONE Archives Foundation, curated by ONE Archives at the USC Libraries, and co-presented with the Los Angeles LGBT Center, the exhibition will include an opening event on October 1 at the Center.
Tickets for all Circa 2023 programs are now available. Be the first to view the schedule of the full program lineup and reserve your spot to all Circa events by visiting circafestival.org.
I don’t believe any of these venues are in West Hollywood, right? I always find it SO interesting when some in the community want to make these things accessible to all that they either fail to have a location in the largest gay concentrated community in the LA area….or are so outright anti-WEHO that they make sure to exclude the city.