• Internet Show

• Indigenous Exhibition

• Craft

• HIV/AIDS Retrospective

• Art at Sports Stadiums

• Archival Exhibition

• Travelling Art Show

• Visual Arts - Umbrella Events

• Flights of fashion

• Literature

• Film Festival

• Television

• Radio

• Community Event Fund

• Venues

   

Outdoor Entertainment
Lesbian and gay performers will provide free entertainment for spectators in queues for sporting events, at train and bus stations and at the Cultural Centres. This is designed to keep spectators entertained as well as to combine elements of cultural with sport. There will be a festival atmosphere everywhere you go during the Games. Produced by Sydney 2002.

Beach Party
A gay and lesbian beach party will be held at Bondi Beach. This will be an outdoor spectacular on the evening before the Opening Ceremony, giving the opportunity to relax before the Games officially commence. The Beach Party will feature demonstration sports - surfing, beach touch and beach volleyball. An Aussie BBQueer will provide party goers with the taste of a typical Australian pastime - surf and sand. Produced by Sydney 2002.

International Gay and Lesbian Cultural Conference
The Gay Games are an ideal time to hold an international conference for gay and lesbian artists. There are very few opportunities for queer artists from different cities to get together and talk about the direction of lesbian and gay culture. It is vital that artists be given the opportunity to discuss the development of their work globally. A three day conference at the University of Sydney will be held in the days leading up to the Opening Ceremony. The conference will feature discussions, workshops, guest speakers, art and HIV workshops, performances and seminars. It will be a global first and a significant step in the development of queer culture. Produced by Sydney 2002.

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Music

The music program covers a broad spectrum - chamber orchestras and choirs, classical and contemporary. Several events will be produced by Sydney 2002 whilst others will be produced by existing companies.

Gay Day Out
Rock Against Homophobia, with lesbian and gay bands from around the world, will encourage queer live music and combine well known musicians with new talent. A large scale event held in the Hordern Pavilion of the old Sydney Showgrounds on the afternoon before the closing party, it will feature world talent in an evening of rock and roll, jazz, rap and dance. It will be targeted at younger gays and lesbians. A CD will be produced as a souvenir of the event. Produced by Sydney 2002.

Gay and Lesbian Choruses
An evening of international lesbian and gay choirs will be held at the Sydney Town Hall, hosted by the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Choir. This Choir enjoys an international reputation and has staged successful concerts in Australia and overseas. Choirs will be encouraged to come to Sydney and participate in this event. The choirs will combine to sing together in the spirit of unity which is the Gay Games. Produced by Sydney 2002.

Gay and Lesbian Big Bands
Following the tradition of big bands in North America, we will present an evening of gay and lesbian big bands at the Paddington Town Hall, a restored heritage building in inner city Sydney. The masters of queer big band sound the world over will come to Sydney to collaborate with Australian gay and lesbian musicians in a night of nostalgia, dancing and big sounds. Produced by Sydney 2002.

Classical Music
Gay and lesbian classical music producers, Q Notes and Harpo productions will be invited to present a classical music program. The Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Opera Australia and Musica Viva will be invited to produce programs which are relevant to the lesbian and gay community and will be Gay Games umbrella events.

[ the cultural program events | music | performing arts | visual arts]

Performing Arts

Theatre at Gay Games VI will combine events produced for the Games with performances staged by the best arts companies in Australia. This will provide audiences with a great choice of traditional to contemporary.

Theatre - Commissioned Play
Sydney 2002 will commission an Australian playwright to write a script for the Games. The play will premiere at the Belvoir Street Theatre. We will seek funding for the production from the Australia Council. This will be a unique event and will tour Australia after the Games. Produced by Sydney 2002.

Program of Short Plays
This will feature the work of international lesbian and gay playwrights through two seasons of short plays. Ten plays of 20 minutes or less will be selected and produced in a two season package. Particular emphasis will be given to writers from the Asia/Pacific region. Produced by Sydney 2002.

Workshops
As part of the development of lesbian and gay culture, Sydney 2002 will stage a series of performing arts workshops during the Games. Classes will be run by lesbian and gay practitioners from around the world. Produced by Sydney 2002.

Theatre - Umbrella Events
Professional theatre companies in Sydney including the Sydney Theatre Company, Company B and others will be invited to produce work relevant to the Games.

[ the cultural program events | music | performing arts | visual arts]

Dance
Sydney 2002 will produce two dance programs over a two week season. One program will feature queer dancers from the Asia/Pacific region. The other will focus on contemporary lesbian and gay Australian dance, including dancers from the Aboriginal and Islander Dance Theatre and Bangarra Dance Company (both indigenous companies). Produced by Sydney 2002.

Dance - Umbrella Events
Major professional companies such as Sydney Dance Company and the Australian Ballet will be invited to participate in Gay Games VI.

Comedy
A special night of humour featuring the best Australian and international gay and lesbian comics. Held at the State Theatre, the comedy night will take the stress out of Gay Games competition. This event will be held as a fundraiser for PRIDE - Sydney Lesbian and Gay Community Centre Ltd.

Cabaret
The world's best entertainers will provide song, dance, comedy and surprises in this queer variety show. Highlights of festival productions and surprise guests will make this a memorable evening. The Cabaret will be held in the Concert Hall of the Opera House. Produced by Sydney 2002.

Festival Club
Every night of the Gay Games, participants and spectators will be able to relax at the Gay Games Festival Club. The Club will be in Kinselas, a three level venue in the heart of gay Sydney. It will provide the essential late night venue for the Gay Games and be a meeting place for artists and athletes. Produced by Sydney 2002.

[ the cultural program events | music | performing arts | visual arts]

Visual Arts

Internet Show
This is an opportunity for the whole world to be involved in Gay Games VI. A technological exhibition with artists being invited through the internet to participate, lesbian and gay artists will put their work on the net, giving access to art lovers everywhere. This will be a long term project developed over two years leading up to the Games. Audiences will be able to access this work though their own computers as well as through computers set up in the Cultural Village. Images can be down loaded producing hard copies of the work in an exhibition which has no boundaries. Produced by Sydney 2002.

Indigenous Exhibition
An exhibition featuring the work of indigenous lesbian and gay artists, curated by indigenous artists. This exhibition, to be staged at the Australian Museum, will be an empowering and unifying one exploring the issues surrounding queer indigenous communities. Produced by Sydney 2002.

Craft
Australia has a strong tradition of gay and lesbian craft artists and this exhibition will showcase their talents. This show will have an emphasis on indigenous lesbian and gay craft artists.

HIV/AIDS Retrospective
The Museum of Contemporary Art will be invited to host a major retrospective of Australian artists who deal with HIV and AIDS. The exhibition will give an insight into the epidemic in the new millennium as well as recognise the powerful role art has played in the AIDS war.

Art at Sports Stadiums
To combine elements of culture and sport, we will stage exhibitions in sporting venues. These exhibitions will be site specific - bill boards, posters and flags by lesbian and gay artists will turn the sporting venues into queer spaces. Produced by Sydney 2002.

Archival Exhibition
An exhibition of the history of lesbian and gay Sydney will be held at the NSW State Library. The library has an extensive collection of lesbian and gay archives which will inform and educate visitors to Sydney.

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