Fresh Fruit Festival

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The Fresh Fruit Festival was founded as a summer arts festival presented by All Out Arts, and featuring the work of LGBTQ artists as the primary expression of the All Out Arts mission of "Fighting prejudice and homophobia through the arts." It has since expanded to year-round programming at partner organizations in support of the same goals.[1] As of 2017, it was held at the theatre.[2]


History[]

The Festival was founded by Carol Polcovar in 2002 as a merger of New Village Playwrights and New Village Productions reacted to a current reluctance on the part of major venues to present a truly representative array of LGBT arts.[citation needed] Originally sponsored by , it became a fully owned d/b/a of All Out Arts. The Festival included a wide range of plays, visual arts, dance, and film presentations. Along with the , it is among the most prominent LGBT-themed festivals in the New York artistic community.[citation needed] Carol Polcovar served as Founding Artistic Director of the festival for its first decade, and upon retirement in 2013 accepted an "Outstanding Achievement" Award for the Fresh Fruit Festival's mission from the Manhattan Borough President's Office.[3]

Ancillary programs[]

The Festival presented the first of several "OUTmusic" programs in New York City, consisting entirely of vocalists, musicians, and composers who were Lesbian, Gay, Bi, or Transgender. When Michael Biello & Dan Martin created Outmusic Inc. in 1990, All Out Arts served as their fiscal conduit and aided their becoming a unique organization. Outmusic is now a national foundation, sponsoring National Outmusic Awards since 2001.[4]

In 2006 the Festival presented the first event solely dedicated to and entirely by LGBT Native Americans. Native American elder Kent Lebsock presided over the opening convocation, and the event included members of the Cherokee, Mohawk, Chikasaw, Navajo, Creek, Lakota, Kumeyaay and Cree tribes.[5]


See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Art, Politics, and Female Power". 2014-06-04. Retrieved 2021-12-15.
  2. ^ "Hot Times, Summer in the City: Your List of Events For July and August – Times Square Chronicles". Retrieved 2021-12-15.
  3. ^ "I honor your commitment to the arts as a profoundly effective weapon against all forms of prejudice." -May 15, 2013- Gale A. Brewer, Borough President of Manhattan
  4. ^ "Outmusic Awards The Biggest Night In LGBT Music & Entertainment". Outmusic Awards The Biggest Night In LGBT Music & Entertainment. Retrieved 2017-11-19.
  5. ^ Tafoya, Patrick (October 2006). "Roger Kuhn: A Two-Spirit Evening Proves Two Is Better Than One". Talking Stick - Native Arts Quarterly (9.4 Oct/Nov/Dec 2006).

External links[]

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