The City Council of the City of West Hollywood, at its regular meeting on Monday, June 26, 2023, unanimously approved Pickle Drag Queen as the City’s inaugural Drag Laureate. Pickle was selected through an application process with a selection committee comprised of members of the City’s Arts and Cultural Affairs Commission. The public event for the Drag Laureate installation will take place on International Drag Day, Sunday, July 16, 2023 at 3 p.m. at West Hollywood Park, located at 647 N. San Vicente Boulevard.
“West Hollywood has been one of the centers of drag culture for decades,” said Councilmember Lauren Meister. “Drag performers are often a thrilling attraction at many of our restaurants and bars and West Hollywood’s drag performers take center stage in a wide range of our City’s arts and culture events. This year, we’ve witnessed conservative attacks on drag performers by those who seek to ban culture and expression. Plain and simple, this is a proxy for homophobia and such ‘drag bans’ attack LGBTQ people. I’m thrilled that West Hollywood’s Drag Laureate program will raise awareness about drag culture and I’m overjoyed to welcome Pickle as our inaugural Drag Laureate.”
Pickle is a powerhouse host, performer, and community activist. She is a singing drag queen and comedienne who values education, community, and humor. She has been performing in drag professionally for eight years and has collaborated with many people and organizations to bring drag into people’s lives. A Los Angeles native, she received her BA in Liberal Arts from Sarah Lawrence College. Pickle has focused on blending education initiatives into her drag work and runs the LA chapter of Drag Story Hour. She has partnered with many organizations to present unique and dynamic drag programming. Pickle is dedicated to expanding drag as a medium both for herself and for the community. She has appeared on television on NBC’s The Weakest Link, the Discovery Channel’s Dodgeball Thunderdome, and Tyler Perry’s Sistas. She collaborates regularly with live musicians to incorporate big-band sound into her performances and is committed to exploring new technologies for the art of drag, including artificial intelligence and virtual reality. For more information about Pickle, visit www.pickledragqueen.com.
As West Hollywood Drag Laureate, Pickle will serve a term of two years from July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2025. During the term, the Drag Laureate is expected to enhance the presence and appreciation of drag culture and arts in West Hollywood; promote partnerships with West Hollywood business and community organizations; celebrate the spirit and special qualities of the City of West Hollywood and its residents; and inspire an emerging generation of drag artists by celebrating and promoting drag history.
The Drag Laureate will work with City staff to serve as an ambassador for West Hollywood. Pickle will attend approximately 15 events throughout the year, including WeHo Pride and West Hollywood Day. The City will also organize a yearly event to celebrate drag history, promote West Hollywood drag culture, and invite the West Hollywood community to attend.
Recently, the City of San Francisco announced its inaugural San Francisco Drag Laureate, D’Arcy Drollinger, and it is anticipated that West Hollywood and San Francisco will work together to share best practices and ideas to enhance Drag Laureate programs.
The West Hollywood Drag Laureate program provides a $12,500 honorarium each year, and a $2,500 stipend for the annual City drag event, totaling $15,000 per year.
I agree with the comment below. A total waste of public funds. We have people eating out of garbage cans and sleeping in their own filth.. and the city blows our money on this!
Lol you get mad if they spend money on helping the homeless though!
Damned if you do, damned if you don’t.
Yes Pickle!
Sickening use of public funds.
Congrats!!!!