JOY. SORROW. ANGER. LOVE. PRIDE.

Presented by: 

 

Magenta Foundation in partnership with The ArQuives and Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival

 

 

Launched in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of The ArQuives—Canada’s only LGBTQ2+ archive with a national scope—Toronto Pride’s first exhibition and publication feature enlarged archival photographs, print media, and ephemera carefully selected from among the archives’ holdings and a public call for submissions. Kicking off Pride Season, this remarkable multifaceted project focuses on Toronto Pride from 1970 to the present day.On August 1, 1971, a group of gay and lesbian activists organized Toronto’s first “Gay Day Picnic” at Hanlan’s Point Beach, and the efforts put forth that summer afternoon sparked a movement. Since then, millions of local and international visitors have attended and supported Toronto Pride. Today, it is one of the largest gatherings of the LGBTQ2+ community and their allies in the world.Joy. Sorrow. Anger. Love. PRIDE: A Celebration of Toronto Pride, 1970s – present is the first broadly available publication and exhibition on the Canadian movement. Incorporating photography, ephemera, posters, and writings by community leaders, the project focuses on the history of Toronto Pride throughout its long and sometimes turbulent journey. Highlighted in both the exhibition and publication are diverse materials generated by the LGBTQ2+ community—which includes beloved and vital organizations like Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, Black Lives Matter, Casey House, 2-Spirited People of the 1st Nations, and more—interspersed with photographs and other materials, such as t-shirts, buttons, issues of XTRA Magazine, protest signs, zines, and posters.