GFEST appeals to arts lovers in fundraising bid
Melanie May | 21 October 2016 | News
Gaywise FESTival 2016 is holding a special fundraising performance as part of this year’s event, in support of next year’s 10th anniversary festival.
An annual platform for LGBTQI (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Intersex) artists and organisations, the 9th GFEST – Gaywise FESTival® runs from Monday 7th – Saturday 19th November 2016 at venues across London, produced by arts charity Wise Thoughts.
The fundraising performance, Marginal Play, will be held on 19th November at RADA Studios in London. It will see composer Benjamin Tassie perform a set of his music for acoustic instruments and electronics, as well as a performance of GFEST 2016 dance work “Marg – a pathway”, involving narratives from Indian epic Mahabharata exploring the ageless nature of gender fluidity and sexual diversity.
All profits from ticket sales will go towards covering GFEST 2016 costs and the fundraising for GFEST 2017 activities, and the charity is also appealing for donations from arts lovers and performance attendees, to be used to commission new performance works for next year’s festival, which will also be its tenth anniversary.
Niranjan Kamatkar, artistic director, GFEST – Gaywise FESTival, said:
“From the beginning of GFEST- Gaywise FESTival in 2007, it has been an uphill struggle to fundraise for a fortnight of LGBTQ cross-arts events in London every year via conventional means, despite the huge support and artistic contributions made by LGBTQI artistes, performers and filmmakers for each GFEST.
“As we move forward to GFEST in its 10th anniversary next year, we thought of directly appealing to arts lovers who can enjoy the performance event and contribute towards some costs and towards the next year’s new commissions. Last year (GFEST 2015) performance was a first successful step towards the new model of fundraising. I hope and feel confident that a number of art loving patrons will come forward this year and donate generously to make GFEST 2017 an even stronger platform for LGBTQI arts practitioners in London.”
Advertisement
About Melanie May
Melanie May is a journalist and copywriter specialising in writing both for and about the charity and marketing services sectors since 2001. She can be reached via thepurplepim.com.