Bright Spot for 2024: Queer Arts Initiative

Get pumped to support the (queer) arts in the Upstate

Today let’s just focus on the people that are bringing light and good to the world, like Joe Hindman, owner of Greenville’s most hip hostel/coffee shop/gallery space Modal, and Sarah Cochran, former owner of one of my most fav places Bar Margaret, founding member of the LGBT Chamber, and current program coordinator of the Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies program at Furman.

These two are local heroes, and their newest initiative through the Chamber just adds to their already impressive list of contributions to our community. Last year they began the Queer Arts Initiative through the Chamber, and have already received grants from the South Carolina Arts Commission, the Metropolitan Arts Council, and matching grants from Furman (seriously, Furman, you are really showing up!!). The mission of the QAI is “to champion diversity through informing, supporting, and promoting artists of all mediums who identify as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community within the Upstate of South Carolina.” If you’re a queer artist in the Upstate, highly recommend joining the Chamber and/or reaching out for support and promotion.

Through the QAI, Modal has already starting displaying works by queer artists in its gallery space, and much more is in the works for 2024, including theater performances, film screenings, representation and presence at Artisphere, and this month, a tour and discussion of the Queer Zines collection at Furman (open to the public!).

I had a chance to chat with Joe and Sarah last week about the QAI, and their passion and commitment to supporting queer artists and increasing their visibility in the Upstate was so inspiring. It’s such important work, not only to expand the type of art, music, literature, film and theater we have access to, but also because creating structures and organizations for supporting queer artists in our state is especially urgent in this political environment, with book bans targeting LGBTQ authors and stories, and legislative attacks on trans folks. When it feels like we’ll never be able to change state and local politics, having a space to imagine a better future through art can be the fire that keeps us going. Hats off to Joe and Sarah, and the other Chamber members on the committee, for doing this vital work.

If you’d like to donate to the QAI, go to the Chamber donation site here and type “QAI” in the notes section to designate the allocation of funds.