Supporters

The Black Lives Matter Vancouver chapter is a cause that supports the organizing work of black folks and allies in undoing systemic racialized violence. Black Lives Matter is a cause cognizant of the ongoing struggles of all marginalized folks and we strive to honour that in the work we do. We centre the voices of Black folks as well as other folks of colour and hope to lift up those who are queer, women, trans, differently abled, poor or otherwise marginalized.

BOLDFest = bold, old(er) lesbians & dykes. an Annual conference at the Coast Plaza Hotel, bringing together 150-200 dykes of all ages to: re-connec,t get energized, politicized network, celebrate our age(s), queerness, our longevity – everything we are!!

CampOUT! is a social justice summer camp for queer, trans, Two-Spirit, questioning, and allied youth ages 14-21 from across BC & the Yukon.

Cineworks Independent Filmmakers Society (est. 1980) is an artist-run production and exhibition centre that supports independent filmmakers and media artists. Through initiatives that foster dialogue and experimentation with cinematic practices, we engage our membership and the broader community through the transformative power of the moving image and the changing role of film in its contemporary context.

DOXA is presented by The Documentary Media Society, a Vancouver based non-profit, charitable society (incorporated in 1998) devoted to presenting independent and innovative documentaries to Vancouver audiences. The society exists to educate the public about documentary film as an art form through DOXA Documentary Film Festival, a curated and juried festival comprised of public screenings, panel discussions, public forums and educational programs. The 17th annual DOXA Documentary Film Festival will take place May 3 thru 13, 2018. The Motion Pictures Film Series is DOXA’s year-round programming initiative that offers screenings of some of the world’s most outstanding documentaries to communities around the Lower Mainland. The 2017-2018 season marks the eighth edition of the series.

Operated by a working board of volunteers, FOH is the first of its kind in Canada and the world as a registered charity providing financial assistance to other Canadian charities actively supporting LGBT+ refugees and newcomers.

Health Initiative for Men is dedicated to strengthening the health and well-being of gay men. We involve and engage gay men to improve foundations of their physical, sexual, social and mental health through research-based, community-minded, volunteer-driven activities. Our materials and programs are for adults and deal with gay sexuality positively and explicitly.

"Hogan’s Alley Society (HAS) is a non-profit organization led by members of Vancouver's Black community. Their mission is to revive the social, political, cultural and economic histories of Vancouver’s Black communities through the delivery of housing, social spaces, education, health and intergenerational linkage. Hogan's Alley was the name given to the Black neighbourhood that formed in the late 1800s and was eventually displaced due to decades of systemic anti-Black racism and the construction of the Georgia and Dunsmuir viaducts. The society is seeking redress for this past injustice and has proposed a non-profit community land trust on the site where the Black community once existed. We do our community organizing on the traditional lands of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm, səl̓ilwətaɁɬ, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh peoples and work in solidarity with Indigenous peoples towards the dismantling of colonial institutions and systemic racism. "

Indian Summer Festival is a contemporary multi-arts festival that takes place over ten days every July in Vancouver, Canada. To all of us at Indian Summer, the festival really is a model for the kind of society we’d like to see. A society that is creative, diverse, inclusive and innovative. As the world builds more and more walls and as societies get suspicious and afraid of people who don’t look like them and think like them, we believe in the transformative power of the arts and the festival is our way of reaffirming these beliefs. From novelists to Grammy Award-winning musicians, international visionaries to oral storytellers, Indian Summer Festival has presented emerging artists as well as Nobel, Booker, Grammy and Oscar prize nominees on its stages.

InFocus Film School is an independent film school built on the premise of providing an accelerated education in film arts. InFocus now offers intensive programs in dramatic and documentary film, visual effects, compositing, and screenwriting for film and TV. They are one of Vancouver’s premier centres for excellence in film. Our mix of international and domestic students creates a diverse and exciting atmosphere that is reflected in the quality and breadth of films produced. InFocus' mission is to provide superior film education through accelerated, hands on learning and encourage students to grow as visual storytellers.

The Momentum Health Study is a sexual health study for gay, bi and other men who have sex with men in greater Vancouver, BC coordinated by the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS.

Come to a Music on Main concert to hear works by legendary composers, up-and-coming artists, and everyone in between. Music on Main is dedicated to producing classical, new, and genre-bending music in environments that are both casual and stimulating. And as a proud advocate for gender equity, as well as queer and diverse voices, inclusion is at the heart of Music on Main’s programming. Expanding from its roots at the Heritage Hall on Vancouver’s Main Street, the organization has created a multitude of musical experiences at such venues as the Fox Cabaret, CBC’s Studio 700, and The Roundhouse. In addition, Music on Main was the presenting partner of ISCM World New Music Days 2017.

MVK Alternative Lifestyle Society (formerly “Metro Vancouver Kink Society”) is a not for profit society registered with the British Columbia Registrar of Companies. MVK was created with the intent of being as inclusive as possible and, from its inception, has been an organization for the community run by the community. For MVK, inclusiveness means support for all abilities, all genders and all races. We support this mission by producing adult educational events, putting forward education for technique and safety and advocating for the legal and human rights of adults who practice consensual BDSM. More information about MVK can be found at www.mvkvancouver.com. MVK is run strictly by volunteer efforts and produces 10 events a month. MVK also co-host the Taboo Dungeon at the Naughty but Nice Taboo show each year and also produces Westcoast Bound on an annual basis, which is a weekend long hotel takeover event where we bring in educators from all over the world. More information about Westcoast Bound can be found at www. westcoastbound.ca.

PACE Society is a peer-driven organization providing advocacy, support, and education for sex workers of all genders. PACE works to increase the health, safety, and empowerment of its members, by respecting their right to self-determination and supporting their self-identified needs.

We provide support for all family members and friends. We work to create an environment of understanding so our gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender children can live with dignity and respect. We are proud of Vancouver's chapter, and its tradition of helping parents, friends, and families understand their gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer loved ones.

Positive Living BC is an organization that provides low income members living with HIV/AIDS with over-the-counter items and services essential to their health but not covered by existing health plans. The symptoms of HIV/AIDS and the side effects of medications are very difficult to live with. Without treatment they can even be life-threatening. Positive Living BC is actively trying to end stigma associated with positive status.

The Powell Street Festival Society’s (PSFS) mission is to cultivate Japanese Canadian arts and culture to connect communities. Our main activity is producing the Powell Street Festival (PSF) in Vancouver’s historic Japanese Canadian neighbourhood, Paueru Gai. PSF is an annual celebration of Japanese Canadian arts and culture. In addition to PSF, we engage in co-presentations with arts organizations and produce an annual season of cultural and artistic programming. The Powell Street Festival Society’s vision includes a society enriched and interconnected through Japanese Canadian arts and culture. We encourage the recognition of Japanese Canadians as a creative force within the broader community.

The PuSh International Performing Arts Festival is Vancouver’s signature mid-winter festival presenting contemporary works of theatre, dance, music and multimedia by acclaimed artists from around the world. The next edition of the PuSh Festival takes place January 2019.

QMUNITY is a non-profit organization based in Vancouver, BC that works to improve queer, trans, and Two-Spirit lives. We provide a safer space for LGBTQ2S+ people and their allies to fully self-express while feeling welcome and included. Our building serves as a catalyst for community initiatives and collective strength. QMUNITY's mission is to improve queer, trans, and Two-Spirit lives through services, connection and leadership.

Sher Vancouver is a social, cultural, and support organization for LGBTQ South Asians and their friends, families, and allies.

SAFES is a Vancouver based collective of cinephiles, academics, aesthetes and others who get together occasionally to screen interesting South Asian films – and engage in (hopefully) stimulating dialogue about society, cinema, art, culture and history.

STDcheck.com prides itself in being an ally to the LGBTQ community, with fast, private, and affordable lab testing. Receive free HIV testing through STDcheck.com by calling in and mentioning Identity Inc. Visit any Lab Corp or Quest Diagnostics, then receive results in 2-3 business days.

Full Circle First Nations Performance (est. 1992) based in Vancouver, British Columbia, creates opportunities for Indigenous artists, writers, and performers to express First Nations experiences. It works in harmony with First Nations traditions alongside contemporary, interdisciplinary theatrical techniques while developing skills, ideas, exploration, and collaboration. Full Circle is home to the Talking Stick Festival, the largest multi-disciplinary Indigenous arts festival in North America, attracting over 20,000 attendees annually and growing.

Western Canada’s LGBT+ Wedding Show. Showcasing LGBT positive wedding professionals in an inclusive and fabulous environment.

VAFF is dedicated to promoting and celebrating the diversity and depth of Asian culture and identity in film and media, and to help North American Asian actors and filmmakers more authentically and more powerfully define and express themselves on screen. Through its annual film festival and many other programs and events hosted in Vancouver, VAFF’s mission is to be the “go-to” forum for the public and the film industry to engage in and support the rise of Asian influence in film and media in the world. VAFF envisions a world where North American Asian actors and filmmakers have the resources and opportunities to shape mainstream culture in a powerful and positive way.

Vancouver Frontrunners are a local running, walking and social club who provide a safe and welcoming environment for the LGBTQ+ community and their friends. They meet twice a week, cater to people of all abilities, and it’s free to try them out.

Founded in 1982, The Greater Vancouver International Film Festival Society is a not-for-profit cultural organization that operates the internationally acclaimed Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF) and the year-round programming of the Vancity Theatre at the Vancouver International Film Centre. We produce screenings, talks and events as a catalyst for a diverse community to discover, discuss and share the creativity and craft of storytelling on screen.

A 10-day annual festival that encourages dialogue among cultures, and explores and celebrates the art of contemporary Latin American and Latin-Canadian filmmaking. VLAFF’s mandate is the encouragement and appreciation of motion pictures as a medium of art, information and education. Since 2003, VLAFF has provided audiences with the unique opportunity to watch inspiring films and interact with guest filmmakers from across Latin America and the diaspora.

The Vancouver Men’s Chorus is one of Canada’s premier singing ensembles and Canada’s first gay chorus. For more than 35 years, we’ve delighted audiences locally and abroad, and our membership continues to flourish. In 2018 we are travelling to St Johns, Newfoundland where we have been invited to perform at “Podium”, a 4-yearly event which next year, has been given the title “On The Edge”. How appropriate for a 100 man (mostly gay) chorus! Come and join our fabulous brotherhood and experience the wonderful world of performing with lots of other lovely boys. Open rehearsals start in September.

Vancouver Pride Society strives to produce inclusive, celebratory events, and advocate for LGBTQAI2S+ communities through an intersectional lens.

Women In Film and Television Vancouver (WIFTV) is a member driven, not-for-profit society, which addresses systemic barriers to women’s equal participation in the production and dissemination of screen-based media. We approach our goals by working with a range of partners to increase funding, employment, and promotional opportunities for those identifying as women. We offer professional skill-based training, and create opportunities to further women-led projects. We present and publicly celebrate the achievement of women in screen-based media, primarily, but not exclusively, through The Vancouver International Women in Film Festival.