Haus II gallery finds Collaboration with Queercity Media
“Attention all history enthusiasts and advocates of decolonization!
We invite you to join us for the Decolonizing Nigerian Histories: An Archival Restoration Workshop on Indigenous LGBT+ History. This workshop will take place from February 14th to 16th, 2023 and is an opportunity to delve into the rich and diverse history of Nigeria through an intersectional lens.
Our focus will be on the preservation and restoration of indigenous LGBT+ histories, stories and narratives often erased from the dominant historical narrative. Join us for three days of learning, sharing and collaborating as we work towards a more inclusive and accurate representation of Nigerian history.
Register now to secure your spot! Limited spaces available.
To Register, Send CV and a page cover letter on why you should attend this workshop to xela.queercitymedia@gmail.com
Deadline for application, Feb 9th, 2023
We’re committed to providing a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere for all, and we look forward to unpacking and restoring our often ignored history!
QUEERCITY MEDIA PARTNERS WITH THE GOETHE-INSTITUT NIGERIA TO ORGANIZE AN ARTISTIC SAFE SPACE
“The Third Cafe” is a monthly café style safe space for Queer folx seeking community through discussions, films, open mic, books, and coffee. The “3rd Café” works with queer filmmakers, queer artists, queer Comedians, queer authors, and other creative endeavors to express their craft, amplify their works, and reach and build community.
Serving as a monthly creative community platform for creatives to engage the community and for people to network, the 3rd Café would also provide an extensive artistic outlet for socio-cultural discuss Nigerian gender identities and expressions.
The Third Cafe hopes to foster community building, provide creative support and amplification of works for Queer creatives in Lagos, and Create a Safe Space for artistic networking and the exchange of ideas while encouraging conversations that matter.
Saturday 28th of January, 2023 at exactly 12:00pm.
We are screening Pink Lounge (@pinkloungefilm) by @maxivive, having conversations with Sheifunmi Nomia Yusuf (@sheifunmi) on experimental storytelling. Stand-Up comedy would be by Arctic Flame (_arcticflame). Come connect with friends, old and new over coffee.
The message of this year’s Pride in Lagos theme underscores the importance of inclusivity and acceptance of all individuals, regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other characteristic that sets them apart from others in Lagos, Nigeria, and West Africa. Defining “We All Belong”: “We All Belong” is a statement that recognizes that…
Are you passionate about telling powerful stories and amplifying the voices of underrepresented communities? Do you want to be a part of an exciting and impactful project that celebrates the diverse and vibrant culture of Lagos? If so, we want to hear from you! The Pride in Lagos 2023 team is looking for talented writers…
We are thrilled to announce that Pride Lagos 2023 will be taking place from June 12th to June 18th, 2023! This year’s celebration promises to be bigger and better than ever before, as we come together to celebrate love, diversity, and inclusion. Pride Lagos is an annual event that brings together members and allies of…
HAUS II GALLERY ANNOUNCES NEW WORKSPACE FOR LGBTIQ+ ARTISTS AND WRITERS IN LAGOS, NIGERIA
Lagos, Nigeria – Haus II Gallery in collaboration with Queercity Media is excited to announce the opening of a new workspace specifically for LGBTIQ+ artists and writers in Lagos, Nigeria. This state-of-the-art facility will provide a safe and supportive environment for these artists to create and share their work and will be a hub for the local community to come together and celebrate diversity.
The opening of this workspace is a major milestone for the LGBTIQ+ community in Nigeria, and we are thrilled to be able to provide a space where artists can feel free to express themselves without fear of discrimination. We believe that art has the power to bring people together and create a sense of belonging, and we are committed to fostering an inclusive and welcoming atmosphere for all.
The workspace will feature a range of resources and amenities to support the creative process, including private studios, shared workspaces, and a library stocked with a diverse selection of books and resources. We will also be hosting regular events and workshops, as well as exhibitions and other community-building activities.
“We are thrilled to be able to provide this much-needed resource for LGBTIQ+ artists and writers in Lagos,” said Olaide Kayode Timileyin, the Director of Queercity media and Productions. “We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to express themselves and share their work, and we hope that this new workspace will help to create a more inclusive and supportive environment for members of the community.”
The workspace will be opened Monday 9th of January and would run daily through Friday from 10:00am to 3:00pm, and all are welcome to come and use the space. Haus II Gallery looks forward to supporting the growth and development of the talented LGBTIQ+ artists and writers in Lagos through this new initiative.
For more information, please contact @haus2gallery on Instagram or Xela via Contact
Lagos, Nigeria/ West Africa – Thursday, June 02, 2022
Queercity Media and Productions – The parent organization of the renowned Queercity Podcast and Pride in Lagos, West Africa’s destination pride event has announced the official lineup for our 2022 Pride in Lagos Festival, “Pride In Lagos” slated for June 20th to 26th 2022 is a Hybrid event. Pride in Lagos is a one-week-long event, originally known as GLOW UP Pride. Pride this year has been themed for the cause of growth and to further our goal as a collective, to continue to reclaim indigenous Queer representation and further societal acceptance for sexual minorities and gender diverse persons in West Africa.
What is Pride when we are trying not to die? Pride is the hands we all hold in unison, for the hope we may live this life through various times, that which runs from Nigeria to Ghana, to Ivory Coast, Togo, Benin, etc uplifting LGBT+ persons across West Africa from the economic capital of the region, Lagos, Nigeria. Organizing an event of this size with a tight timeline, scheduling conflicts, an ever-changing and unfavorable socio-political atmosphere, lack of access to funding, Covid-19 Travel protocols, and increased costs has proven to be quite the challenge has indeed been challenging. But we are so excited to finally announce our line-up and festival plans as this event was designed to capture the wholesome Queer African experience in both the mainstream scene and grassroots while celebrating our resilience as a community.
This event brings International businesses, local businesses, NGOs, vendors, creatives, entertainers, and citizens together in a whole new way and I’m very proud of what we’ve accomplished.”
– O.K.Timileyin ( Organizer Pride in Lagos)
Pride In Lagos is the first of its kind in terms of reach, registrations, impact, and size! We get at numerous numbers of registrations daily; This festival after an overarching theme of “Living Lives of Hope” aimed at celebrating Queer resilience, activism, love, friendship, and movement building, on the west African soils in the past year, our local drag queens, and local non-conforming entertainers, writers, photographers etc. Over 40% of the festival programming are virtual, and the remaining 60% would span from end of the mainland to the islands of Lagos, ending at the open mic/pride party with Lagos own Urban artist! Pride In Lagos is pleased to welcome on its Festival Stage Temmie Ovwasaas the Headlining performer on the 26th of June 2022. while the dance pavilion host various activities like Dragherthon, Pride In Lagos Ball, etc.
“Pride is for everyone!” and Pride in Lagos would further amplify this through various activities tailored to capture the wholesome and chaotic West African LGBT+ experience, the highs and low, fears and joys. We opened our door to partnerships with numerous local and international acts and organizations this year to expand the scope of our program, And Our Pride Grand Marshalls for 2022 are Aja Kween from Rupaul Dragrace, Rupaul Dragrace All Stars, and Legendaray season 3 Nigeria’s very own Bisi Alimi who has appeared on many international television stations, including CNN, BBC, Al Jazeera, CCTV, and outlets like NPR and the Washington Post have profiled him.
Queercity media Board of Directors will implement the same registration and admission requirements for all Pride In Lagos events. Festival attendees will need to show proof of registration and admission and a negative COVID-19 test dated within 72 hours of entrance time for foreigners attending the festival. The festival grounds will have hand sanitizer stations, suggest masks and social distancing whenever possible.
Design by OKTimileyin
This year, we are launching the Pride in Lagos 2022 anthology and report titled; tales of Hope and also Inaugurating the historical Shelle list in Partnership with TheNigerian LGBT+ Museum of Arts, celebrating key and impactful works and representation in the Nigerian LGBT scene, at home and diaspora. Thanks to our headlining media partner Grindr and Fatshionista Brand, and sponsors like the InterPride, Centre for Black Equity, Capitol Ballroom Council, Black Trans Travel org, Area Scatter Pan Africa, and other private individuals who have channeled different resources, Time, Talents and treasures to make Pride In Lagos happen.
For all festival information, entertainment lineup, Panel discussions, accommodations, and more, please visit linktr.ee/prideinlagos
Celebrating queerness and uniqueness is our satisfaction. We recognize our struggle for liberation as LGBTQ+ persons in Africa as a continent, and Nigeria as a nation. With much pride and happiness that we celebrate GLOWUP pride 2021, with the theme “Festival of Nigerian Queerness“. A festival of our resilience and taking up enough space for us to all to breathe. No One is Free, Until We All Are.
Pride is both a jubilant communal celebration of visibility and a personal celebration of self-worth and dignity. Our aim as a community media organization is to empower, sustain and document through our voices and strengths, the culture and lifestyle of West African LGBTQ+ persons back into our society to implement social change.
GLOWUP PRIDE 2021, is celebration queerness in our realities, survival, and resistance, putting it out there for the world to see. We would love you to join us as one, to tell stories of our success, be witness of others celebrating life as a queer person in queer light. We also hope to create a system of connection by getting to relate with each other.
We assure you fun filled time well spent with us and every of our guest. Due to the pandemic outbreak, covid-19 still very much out there and also considering the safety of the community , the celebration will be held on other virtual platform such as Instagram, Club houses and Zoom. The celebration was held responsible consecutively on Saturday 26 of June and Sunday 27 June, 2021.
Pride required almost an all year-round planning cycle, working closely with our partners to achieve every feat through this event. We love that they stood in solidarity with what we do at Queercity Media and Productions, most especially with GLOW UP PRIDE.
An actual pride event in Nigeria would have been thought impossible, few years ago, after a tweep mentioned it has a possibility, the Nigerian LGBT community had an uproar and a division, some folx believed it’s a suicidal mission, others felt we can. Suggestions to create a balance like, wearing a mask to protect people’s identity were made. Pride month across the universe is a month that is all about the gays, lesbians and every other identity and expression in the LGBT community. Parades that are usually had in every geographical locations of the world, where being queer is not criminalized are cancelled this year, and thanks to the corona virus, which created the need for new exploration of new ideas.
Glow Up pride 2020 was one of the mediums we sought to explore, a virtual pride. At the beginning of the pandemic, human contacts were the first to be avoided, that is ; self isolation, which caused every form of gathering to be cancelled, every form of basic life interactions were taken digital, and companies like Zoom, Facebook, HouseParty, etc created platforms for people to meet in large numbers virtually, thereby no exposing anyone to the virus. By April we started planning for one of such meetings, since the SSMPA is against physical gathering, we could take our meetings somewhere new, “the Virtual earth”. The two hours event was held on zoom, and we had 9 awesome performances , starting off with Borax, and ending with Gyre. Videos are on our IGTV
QueerCity Media 