(Image Source)

As we bask in the afterglow of Black Friday deals and Cyber Monday madness (yes, even we in Canada partake in these wild traditions), it’s important to take a moment to not only be thankful, but to give back. Giving Tuesday, which occurs on the first Tuesday of December each year, is a day set aside for people across the globe to remember the importance of contributing to worthy causes both locally and internationally.

We at EDPR have identified four charities that are very close to our hearts, and suggest you take a moment to check them out and (if you can) donate to the cause.

1. World Animal Protection (WAP)

Being the animal lovers we are, it should come as no surprise that this charity lands at the top of our list.

“We are World Animal Protection. We were known as WSPA (World Society for the Protection of Animals). Our vision is a world where animal welfare matters and animal cruelty has ended. Together we can move the world to protect animals.”

Read more about World Animal Protection by clicking here.

2. Toronto People With AIDS Foundation

Although strides have been made in the HIV/AIDS community, it’s important to remember that there are still many in the world suffering with this epidemic.

“We engage people living with HIV/AIDS in enhancing their health and well-being through practical and therapeutic support services and broader social change, and we inspire them to live into their dreams and discoveries.”

Read more about Toronto People With AIDS Foundation by clicking here.

3. Starlight Children’s Foundation Canada 

Having the pleasure of working with Starlight Canada for many years, we’ve been privileged enough to see just how impactful their work is for sick children and their families.

“Starlight Children’s Foundation Canada has been brightening the lives of seriously ill children and their families by them bringing joy, laughter and relief, for over 25 years. We focus on the family as a whole, at a time when they feel most isolated, offering programs and events that can provide an escape from the stress of dealing with a serious illness every day.”

Read more about Starlight Children’s Foundation Canada by clicking here.

4. Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives

More client love on this list, but also an organization that holds much importance to the LGBTQIA+ community in Canada. Often overlooked, this valuable charity is detrimental to preserving important pieces in Canadian history.

“The Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives (CLGA) is the largest independent LGBTQ+ archives in the world. With a focus on Canadian content, the CLGA acquires, preserves and provides public access to information and archival materials in any medium.”

Read more about Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives by clicking here. 

We hope you find some time today to reflect and give back to the charities that mean most to you. Remember, it’s not always just monetary support that is needed in these organizations, many are always looking for volunteers to help out with initiatives throughout the year. We wish you a very happy #GivingTuesday, and let us know in the comments below what your favourite charities are!

Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives (CLGA) will examine LGBTQ+ censorship, resulting from the “Hays Code,” in an exhibit compiled of silver screen films and memorabilia.

TORONTO, ON. (January 27, 2015) – Sissy stereotypes, same-sex interaction and subtext will all come to the forefront in the Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives’ new exhibition, Code, Read. Code, Read will see the CLGA’s gallery present four film screenings, along with a collection of film ephemera from 1930 to 1968. This free exhibit is open to the general public beginning February 8, 2015 at the CLGA (34 Isabella St., Toronto).

As films of the 1920s and 30s grew more sophisticated, and as Depression-era audiences dwindled, there was increasing demand for more controversial characters. The hitherto harmless sissy was offset both by more complex queer figures and by more scandalous stereotypes. Debates subsequently arose about the negative effect that Hollywood cinema, and its questionable morals, might have upon society as a whole.

In response, the Motion Picture Production Code, or Hays Code, put in place a series of censorship guidelines by which the production of indecent or immoral filmic content would be restricted. The institution of the Hays Code heralded the end of the sissy – and his more complex counterparts – in popular cinema, and the beginning of more reserved queer characters whose true nature was necessarily buried by subtext and innuendo. Between 1930 and 1968, a span that encompassed Hollywood’s Golden Age of film production, queer characters were either obscured through ambiguity or else written out entirely from Hollywood films. Alternatively, since the Hays Code was willing to allow “sexual perversion” if depicted in a negative light, queer characters who remained in the picture were presented as a series of unflattering stereotypes: murderous villains, suicidal misfits, farcical fairies, or sexual rebels in need of reform.

“The CLGA is proud to welcome audiences to explore an important and highly formative part of cinematic and popular history through this part-exhibition, part-mini film fest. The content of screens – film, TV, the Internet – has been a persistent subject of social debate, with LGBTQ lives and stories frequently taking leading roles,” says CLGA vice president Wil Craddock. “Antagonistic ideals around issues of morality and decency have often demonized LGBTQ representations, pushing for their censorship or promoting the picturing of negative attributes and story lines around queer people. These films offer a compelling (and rare) glimpse into the early queer heyday and subsequent queerphobia of early Hollywood. They comprise a fascinating part of historical mainstream perceptions of LGBTQ people.”

Public can attend Code, Read screenings at the following dates and times. Please note seating is limited and first-come, first-served:

Sunday, February 8, 2015 

Drama Queens

Cost: Free

Time: 7:00 p.m.

Films to be shown:

Salomé (1923) Dir. Charles Bryant, 74 min. silent

Tea and Sympathy (1956) Dir. Vincente Minnelli, 122 min.

Sunday, February 22, 2015

Funny Business

Cost: Free

7:00 p.m.

Films to be shown:

A Florida Enchantment (1914) Dir. Gladys Rankin, 63 min. silent

Some Like it Hot (1959) Dir. Billy Wilder, 132 min.

Sunday, March 1, 2015

Thrills and Chills

Cost: Free

7:00 p.m.

Dracula’s Daughter (1936) Dir. Lambert Hillyer, 71 min

Rope (1948) Dir. Alfred Hitchcock, 80 min.

Sunday, March 8, 2015

So Bad It’s Good: B Movies and Queer Cult Classics

Cost: Free

7:00 p.m.

Sex In Chains (1928) Dir. William Dieterle, 107 min. silent

Glen or Glenda (1953) Dir. Ed Wood, 65 min.

For media accreditation, photos or interview requests, please contact:

Cory Stewart | Embrace Disruption PR

p: 647.638.1586 | e: cory@embracedisruption.com

About the CLGA:

The Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives (CLGA) is the largest independent LGBTQ+ archives in the world. With a focus on Canadian content, the CLGA acquires, preserves and provides public access to information and materials in any medium. By collecting and securing important historical records, publications, magazines, newspapers, photos, films and other paraphernalia, the CLGA cares for LGBTQ+ histories now and for generations to come.

Website: http://www.clga.ca

Facebook: CLGArchives

Twitter: @CLGArchives

Tumblr: CanadianLesbianandGayArchives.tumblr.com

YouTube: bit.ly/1eAg4mB

World’s Largest Independent LGBTQ+ Archives To Host 2nd Annual Fundraising Disco Gala At Toronto Reference Library

TORONTO, ON (November 11, 2014) - Mirror balls, platforms, bell bottoms and sequins will make their return to the Toronto Reference Library’s Bram and Bluma Appel Salon on November 29, 2014, as the Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives (CLGA) hosts their 2nd Annual Disco Gala, sponsored by TD Canada. Hosted by Vancouver drag sensation Symone Says, the celebratory evening boasts live entertainment, dinner, live auction and a full-out disco dance party.

Beginning at 6:00 p.m., hundreds of disco-clad guests will enter the fully transformed salon to enjoy a cocktail reception while exploring the many event offerings including a dress-up photo booth, archival displays, silent auction and 50/50 draw. Following the reception, attendees will enjoy a gourmet dinner provided by à la Carte Kitchen, along with entertainment from Michelle Ross, the Toronto All-Star Big Band, DJ Mark Oliver and more.

The CLGA is pleased to welcome an extensive group of new and returning supporters of their 2nd annual Gala. Supporters include: TD Canada, Xtra!, Norton Rose Fullbright Canada Inc., Dr. Kevin Russello & Associates, BMO, Sherbourne Health Centre, à la Carte Kitchen, Toronto Public Library, Colio Winery and Mill Street Brewery.

“Contributions from individuals and organizations generate significant benefits long after the last dance at our annual gala,” said CLGA president Dennis Findlay, “With supporter help, the CLGA can continue our many community initiatives and important work of preserving hundreds of thousands of archival materials, making them safe and accessible for generations to come.”

Tickets to the CLGA’s 2nd Annual Disco Gala are $175.00 and can be purchased by visiting http://bit.ly/clgagala.

For media accreditation, photos or interview requests, please contact:

Cory Stewart | Embrace Disruption PR

p: 647.638.1586 | e: cory@embracedisruption.com

About the Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives:

The Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives (CLGA) is the largest independent LGBTQ+ archives in the world. With a focus on Canadian content, the CLGA acquires, preserves and provides public access to information and materials in any medium. By collecting and securing important historical records, publications, magazines, newspapers, photos, films and other paraphernalia, the CLGA cares for LGBTQ+ histories now and for generations to come.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CLGArchives

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CLGArchives

Tumblr: http://canadianlesbianandgayarchives.tumblr.com

YouTube: http://bit.ly/1eAg4mB

Critically acclaimed photo exhibit “BUTCH: Not like the other girls” arrives in Toronto

Renowned artist SD Holman brings solo show to Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives as part of North American tour.

TORONTO, ON (October 6, 2014) – Beauty, power and diversity in female masculinity are explored in the Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives’ (34 Isabella St.) newest hosted exhibition, BUTCH: Not like the other girls, arriving in Toronto on November 6, 2014 as part of the show’s North American tour.

BUTCH: Not like the other girls debuted as a public art project in transit shelters around Vancouver, Canada, in March 2013, with a simultaneous gallery show at the Vancouver East Cultural Centre (The Cultch). According to Cultch administrators, the opening night – which attracted over 500 patrons – was the largest art opening in their 35 years of operation. The project went viral on the internet, leading to touring exhibitions across the continent. The exhibition catalogue was released by Shooting Gallery Publications in Spring 2014, and is available at bookstores in Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco and Los Angeles.

“We are very excited to bring Butch: Not like the other girls to the Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives,” says CLGA vice president William Craddock. “SD Holman’s photographs document, explore and celebrate a myriad of sexual identities and gender expression – visibility that is important to the richness of our communities today and the diversity of our histories for the future. We hope that Toronto audiences will enjoy this exhibition as much as it has been revered at its debut in Vancouver.”

BUTCH is a photographic exploration of the liminal spaces occupied by female masculinity in contemporary queer communities. Holman delineates Butch as “an inclusive site of resistance to limitations on the way women, gender, and sexuality are still defined.” The images honour the beauty, power and diversity of women who transgress the gender binary, with subjects reflecting the many sizes, shapes, ethnicities, and styles of Butch. The transversal dialectic of female masculinity is celebrated here — unapologetic and undiluted.

BUTCH: Not like the other girls opens on Thursday, November 6, 2014 at 7:30 p.m. with a public wine and cheese reception. The Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives is located at 34 Isabella Street in Toronto.

For more information, high-res images or to book a media tour, please contact:

Cory Stewart, Embrace Disruption PR

e: cory@embracedisruption.com

p: 416.963.9857

About SD Holman:

A native of Los Angeles, SD Holman is a photo-based artist and Artistic Director of The Queer Arts Festival, an artist-run three-week, multidisciplinary arts festival in Vancouver, BC. Recipient of the 2014 YWCA Women of Distinction Award in Arts and Culture, one of Canada’s most prestigious awards. Hailed by Photographer Guy Warrington as “the best portrait photographer in Vancouver,”Holman’s exhibition venues include Wellesley College (MA), the Advocate Gallery (Los Angeles), the Soady-Campbell Gallery (New York), the San Francisco Public Library, The Helen Pitt International Gallery, Charles H. Scott, Exposure, Gallery Gachet, Vancouver East Cultural Centre, Artropolis, and Fotobase Galleries (Vancouver). Holman’s project BUTCH: Not like the other girls is currently touring North America, and has been published by Shooting Gallery Publications.

About the Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives:

The Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives (CLGA) is the largest independent LGBTQ+ archives in the world. With a focus on Canadian content, the CLGA acquires, preserves and provides public access to information and materials in any medium. By collecting and securing important historical records, publications, magazines, newspapers, photos, films and other paraphernalia, the CLGA cares for LGBTQ+ histories now and for generations to come.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CLGArchives

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CLGArchives

Tumblr: http://canadianlesbianandgayarchives.tumblr.com

YouTube: http://bit.ly/1eAg4mB

TORONTO, ON (May 7, 2014) – As Toronto gears up to host WorldPride 2014, the Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives (CLGA) celebrates with a series of public programs that shed light on LGBTQ human rights, identities and histories from around the world. The organization’s WorldPride lineup includes an art exhibition entitled Imaging Home: Resistance, Migration, Contradiction; a historical walking tour in partnership with Heritage Toronto and many other community displays and activities.

The CLGA’s official WorldPride 2014 exhibition, Imaging Home: Resistance, Migration, Contradiction, brings together documentary video and photographic work that explores the experiences of LGBTQ individuals living in oppressive regions around the globe. Works from Uganda, Kenya, Guyana, the Caribbean, India and Toronto are pieced together to tell a compelling story about the challenge of envisioning human rights at home – wherever that home is. Additionally, viewers are able to participate in the exhibition by adding their own photos to the collection as part of a growing “global family photo album.” Imaging Home: Resistance, Migration, Contradiction is a joint project of the CLGA and the international project, Envisioning Global LGBT Human Rights. A complimentary opening reception will take place at the CLGA (34 Isabella St.) on Tuesday June 24, 2014 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

“With the addition of photographs and videos that deal with the theme of ‘home’, we hope to draw attention to the many issues experienced locally and internationally,” says CLGA curator, Karen Stanworth. “WorldPride is not just a celebration, but also an opportunity to think about the ongoing crises affecting individuals around the globe.”

Residents and visitors to Toronto are also able to experience a variety of community displays and events presented by the CLGA across the city including:

• A small show of selected work entitled “Queer and Muslim: Finding Peace Within Islam” by Samra Habib. Also opening on June 24 at the CLGA (34 Isabella St).

• A WorldPride display at the Toronto Reference Library (789 Yonge St.) opening mid May, featuring items from the CLGA’s collections such as posters from early Pride parades and picnics and scans from periodicals and pulp fiction.

• A WorldPride display at Toronto City Hall (100 Queen St. W.) opening June 21, 2014, presenting several timelines of significant LGBTQ communities and events including parenting, the bathhouse raids, marriage equality and more.

• Pride Walk: Discovering Toronto’s LGBTQ Heritage from June 20 – June 27, 2014, (a partnership initiative  between the CLGA and Heritage Toronto) features 90 minute historical walking tours of the Church-Wellesley village, inclusive of The Toronto Aids Memorial, The Barn, Glad Day Books, the CLGA and many other notable destinations. Scheduling and tickets ($20) are available by visiting http://heritagetoronto.org.

• In-house tours of the Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives (34 Isabella St.) from June 25 to June 30, 2014. Visitors can drop in during the WorldPride hours (listed below) to view the CLGA facilities and collection.

The CLGA’s WorldPride hours are June 25-26 from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., June 27 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and June 28 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. For a full schedule of events and programming offered by the CLGA, please visit http://www.clga.ca/worldpride-clga.

About the Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives:

The Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives (CLGA) is the largest independent LGBTQ+ archives in the world. With a focus on Canadian content, the CLGA acquires, preserves and provides public access to information and archival materials in any medium. By collecting and caring for important historical records, personal papers, unpublished documents, publications, audio-visual material, works of art, photographs, posters, and other artifacts, the CLGA is a trusted guardian of LGBTQ+ histories now and for generations to come.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CLGArchives

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CLGArchives

Tumblr: http://canadianlesbianandgayarchives.tumblr.com

YouTube: http://bit.ly/1eAg4mB

For more information, high-res images or to book a media tour, please contact:

Cory Stewart, Embrace Disruption PR

e: cory@embracedisruption.com

p: 416.963.9857

-or-

Danielle Volpe, Embrace Disruption PR

e: danielle@embracedisruption.com

p: 416.963.9857

Over the past 41 years the Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives have collected an array of audio recordings covering a variety of topics and styles. Interviews, radio shows, music, protests and home recordings have all been donated to the CLGArchives. Beginning  on February 21 at 6 p.m. and ending on February 22 at 6 p.m. the tapes will be broadcasted continuously for the 24 hour period. Many of these tapes have not been heard in decades and they document extraordinary material from well-known figures and some from ordinary community members.Throughout the broadcast each tape will be digitized and cataloged in attempts of preservation.

This is a free event being put on by the CLGArchives and are three ways to listen to the experience in real time:

1. Visit shops and restaurants along Church St. where the audio will be played.

2. Visit the CLGArchives at 34 Isabella St. where you can experience the tapes as a group. Coffee and tea will be provided.

3. Listen at any location with at http://buddiesinbadtimes.com/listen

For more information please visit the Facebook event page or the CLGArchives website.

TORONTO, ON (May 30, 2013) – On June 14th, 2013, The Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives (CLGA) will open its doors for Gay Premises: Radical Voices In The Archives, 1973‐1983, an exhibit exploring the ways in which Toronto‐based gay newspaper The Body Politic became a dominant voice in early lesbian and gay movements across Canada and internationally.

The exhibition’s focus begins during the year of the CLGA’s formation (1973) and ends with the application of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (1983). The curated display features original submissions, photographs, posters and news items from activists who contributed to The Body Politic and to other radical gay publications that formed the core of the early collection of the CLGA. In tandem with the exhibit, several local artists will interact with the display to conjure different perspectives and interpretations.

In addition to the archival items on display, many photographs featured in the upcoming exhibit will be styled to invite engagement from viewers. The CLGA will encourage visitors to post their comments and memories on a corkboard ‘wall of photographs,’ which will mimic a 1970s photo editor’s wall. These contributions will be used in a forthcoming virtual exhibit, and will remain on display until Gay Premises closes in September.

“The CLGA’s goal is to discover more of the untold stories from this particular time period,” says exhibition curator and CLGA board member Karen Stanworth. “We are asking the public to help share their histories and shed light on archival pieces containing narratives still left untold.”

Gay Premises: Radical Voices In The Archives, 1973‐1983 opens on Friday, June 14, 2013 at 7:30 p.m. with a public wine and cheese reception. The Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives is located at 34 Isabella Street in Toronto.

About Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives:

Currently celebrating its 40^th year, The Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives aids in the recovery and preservation of LGBT histories. Its mission: to acquire, preserve, organize, and give public access to information and materials in any medium, by and about LGBT people, primarily produced in or concerning Canada. To support this function, the Archives also maintain significant non-archival collections, which include a research library, international subject files, and an international collection of queer periodicals. It is the CLGA’s mandate to make this information available to the public for education and research. Over the years, the CLGA has helped hundreds of people – students, artists, journalists, lawyers, filmmakers complete numerous projects inside and outside of the LGBT community.

Website: http://www.clga.ca 

Twitter: @CLGArchives 

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CLGArchives

For interview requests or additional information, please contact:

Cory Stewart, Founder
Embrace Disruption PR 
416.963.9857
cory@embracedisruption.com

TORONTO, ON (April 3, 2013) – On May 3, 2013, The Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives (CLGA) will celebrate their 40th anniversary by welcoming Richard Hudler and Rupert Raj into the organization’s National Portrait Collection for significant individual contributions to the LGBTQ+ community.

Hosted by ProudFM’s Pearse Murray, this event will provide context for the inductees’ contributions through personal letters, newspaper reports, and newly recovered manuscripts. Through artistic installations in the CLGA gallery, attendees will be provided the opportunity to explore the trailblazing work of Hudler and Raj.

Robert Windrum, President of the CLGA said, “We’re thrilled to be celebrating our 40th year of keeping LGBTQ+ stories alive. The National Portrait Collection will provide an excellent opportunity to look back on significant moments that have helped define our important and growing histories.”

The National Portrait Collection was established in 1998 with 25 original portraits and coincided with the CLGA’s 25th anniversary. Past inductees include singer k.d. lang, LGBTQ+ activist George Hislop, Canadian Armed Forces activist Michelle Douglas, and many others.

The inductee ceremony and exhibit opens on May 3, 2013 at 7:30 p.m. with a wine and cheese reception. The Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives is located at 34 Isabella Street in Toronto.

About Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives:

Established in 1973, The Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives aids in the recovery and preservation of LGBT histories. Its mission: to acquire, preserve, organize, and give public access to information and materials in any medium, by and about LGBT people, primarily produced in or concerning Canada. To support this function, the Archives also maintain significant non-archival collections, which include a research library, international subject files, and an international collection of queer periodicals. It is the CLGA’s mandate to make this information available to the public for education and research. Over the years, the CLGA has helped hundreds of people – students, artists, journalists, lawyers, filmmakers complete numerous projects inside and outside of the LGBT community.

Website: http://www.clga.ca
Tumblr: everyday queer archive
Twitter: @CLGArchives
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CLGArchives

About Richard Hudler:

Born in 1942, Richard Hudler is a social worker and an activist who has been working tirelessly to advocate for gay and lesbian rights since immigrating to Canada in 1971.

In 1980 Hudler joined the board of HALO, and starting in 1981, became the long serving board president. He represented HALO through the Project Guardian scandal with the local police, and in 1995 Hudler filed an official complaint with the Ontario Human Rights Commission against London Mayor Diane Haskett when she refused to issue a Gay Pride Proclamation.

Hudler continues his activism through Queer Ontario, a provincial network of individuals — and their allies committed to questioning, challenging, and reforming the laws, institutional practices, and social norms that regulate queer people.

About Rupert Raj:

Born in 1952, Rupert Raj is a Eurasian counsellor/psychotherapist, clinical researcher, educator, lecturer, writer, editor, activist and Gender Specialist. He is a trailblazing activist who has been paving the way to improve life chances for trans people across Canada and around the world since 1971, the year before his own transition.

During the ‘70s and ‘80s, Mr. Raj established and operated three transsexual organizations: Foundation for the Advancement of Canadian Transsexuals (FACT), Metamorphosis Medical Research Foundation (MMRF), and GenderWorker. Concurrently, he also edited and published three TS periodicals: Gender Review,
Metamorphosis Newsletter/Metamorphosis Magazine and GenderNetworker.

In 1999, Rupert co-founded a peer-support group for transmen and female-to-males (part of the Meal-Trans Program at the 519 Community Centre), as well as a support group for transpeople who use or have used alcohol and/or drugs.

Currently Mr. Raj works at the Sherbourne Health Centre as an LGBT Mental Health Counsellor and maintains his own private practice, RR CONSULTING.

For Media Inquiries and Photos Contact:

Cory Stewart
Embrace Disruption PR
647.638.1586
cory@embracedisruption.com

Moderated by ProudFM’s Mike Chalut, this event will showcase pivotal Canadian LGBTQ inclusion employment cases and provide up to date legislative context. Partnering with the CLGA and CCCA to host this event is the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Conference (SOGIC) of the Canadian Bar Association and Pride at Work Canada.

Scott Kettles, General Manager of the CLGA said, “Our mission remains to keep LGBTQ stories alive. We’re pleased to offer such an informative session to people across the nation and further delve into topics like workplace diversity.”

Attendees of the event can expect a keynote from Canadian human rights activist, Michelle Douglas along with a panel of industry experts sharing insights on diversity and inclusion policies.

The in-person event starts at 7:30AM on February 25, 2013, with the webcast commencing at 8:00AM. Tickets for the event can be purchased online by visiting http://bit.ly/143714c. Those wishing to participate in the webcast can register by visiting http://bit.ly/148Ou6p. The Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives is located at 34 Isabella Street in Toronto.

About Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives:

Established in 1973, The Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives aids in the recovery and preservation of LGBT histories. Its mission: to acquire, preserve, organize, and give public access to information and materials in any medium, by and about LGBT people, primarily produced in or concerning Canada. To support this function, the Archives also maintain significant non-archival collections, which include a research library, international subject files, and an international collection of queer periodicals. It is the CLGA’s mandate to make this information available to the public for education and research. Over the years, the CLGA has helped hundreds of people – students, artists, journalists, lawyers, filmmakers complete numerous projects inside and outside of the LGBT community.

Website: http://www.clga.ca

Twitter: @CLGArchives

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CLGArchives

About The Canadian Corporate Counsel Association (CCCA):

An integral group within the 37,000-member Canadian Bar Association, the Canadian Corporate Counsel Association is dedicated to supporting and enhancing the interests of Canadian corporate counsel. CCCA provides uniquely Canadian perspectives, resources, tools, professional development, conferences and peer-to-peer networking opportunities.

Website: http://www.ccca-accje.org

Twitter: @CCCA_News

For Media Inquiries and Photos Contact:

Cory Stewart

Embrace Disruption PR

647.638.1586

cory@embracedisruption.com

For Media Accreditation Contact:

Karen Sadler

Marketing and Communications, CCCA

ksadler@ccca-cba.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – August 28, 2012

WORLDS APART: 3 COUPLES EXPOSE THEIR INTIMATE RELATIONSHIPS THROUGH EXHIBIT, ‘AT THE SAME TIME’

‘At the Same Time’ is an innovative and revealing group photo exhibition highlighting the personal relationships of six artists from the LGBT community. The exhibit will be accompanied by the launch of their new publication of the same name, which contains a compilation of content from their past exhibitions.

TORONTO, ON – On August 10, 2012, Steven Beckly and Dylan MacNeil (Toronto, ON), Ted Kerr and Zachary Ayotte (Brooklyn, NY), and Colin Quinn and Oisín Share (Manchester, UK) will draw and expand on a variety of photographic traditions through exhibition at the Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives (CLGA).

The six artists have simultaneously discovered the nature and development of their romantic relationships from three different parts of the world. Private exchanges emerging from domestic, romantic, and sexual dimensions of relationships are openly explored, uncovering a collection of personal narratives and intimate realities.

This exhibition arrives on the heels of PRIDE celebrations the world over, and aims to pull the curtain away and expose the reality of same sex relationships in today’s culture. Karen Stanworth, Director at the CLGA comments: “As each couple has curated the photographs, their distinctive perspectives on the subject matter have emerged. I’m looking forward to seeing what Steven and Dylan bring to the Toronto installation of the photographs. We’re also pleased that the book will be launched at this final venue for the photographs.”

Join the ‘At The Same Time’ artists on August 10, 2012 from 7:30-10PM at the CLGA (34 Isabella St., Toronto, Ontario). The exhibition will run until September 24, 2012 and copies of the ‘At The Same Time’ publication can be purchased online for $25.00 at http://atthesametime.bigcartel.com or in person at the exhibit.

About the Artists:

Zachary Ayotte is an artist based in Edmonton. His work has been exhibited internationally. www.zacharyayotte.com

Steven Beckly is a photo-based artist living and working in Toronto. His work has been exhibited and published internationally. He has been collaborating with partner Dylan MacNeil for the past three years. www.stevenbeckly.com

Ted Kerr is a writer and artist from Edmonton. Currently living in New York City, he is attending the New School and working with Visual AIDS. Kerr was a founding member of Exposure: Edmonton’s Queer Arts and Culture Festival, and HIV Edmonton’s first Artist in Residence. www.tedkerr.org

Colin Quinn and Oisín Share are Irish-born artists, currently based in Manchester, UK. Their visual project, “Quinnford + Scout,” is a photo-documentation of their development as a couple. Their work has been exhibited and published internationally. www.quinnfordandscout.eu

For more information, interviews or high res photography, contact Cory Stewart

PLUS: WIN A $50 GIFT CERTIFICATE TO GLAD DAY BOOK SHOP!

ENTER HERE 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 26, 2012

TORONTO, ON – While most PRIDE attendees will be spending their weekend parading Church and Wellesley St. – an underground movement will begin for The Pin Button Project, an interactive website and gallery exhibition launching this Friday June 29, 2012 at the Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives (CLGA). The project is an online gallery exhibition that features pin buttons from the archives’ vast collection, and invites visitors to share their personal stories and interact with the hundreds of pin buttons collected over the CLGA’s history.

For decades, buttons have symbolized political statement pieces worn by the masses to spread awareness during specific campaigns worldwide. Since its original design patent in 1896, the simple communication abilities of a single button have survived the test of time. Specifically for the LGBT community, buttons have been used for a variety of reasons ranging through forms of protest, to conveying messages without use of the spoken word. Creator William Craddock comments, “The Pin Button Project is about sharing history through the display of photographs of pin buttons that represent a range of causes, events, organization, and identities from our various pasts. It’s about provoking memory and inviting individuals to share their memories with others. It’s a place for discussion about the past – and about the present. And it is, of course, a place to look at and enjoy all of the visual appeal that these buttons from the past have to offer.”

The CLGA has a history of providing ground-breaking innovative exhibits to the Toronto art scene: The Pin Button Project marks a new online initiative to spread awareness and content. Dennis Findlay, VP of the CLGA remarks: “I have two major hopes for the site. First, that its existence allows these archival objects and the discussion around them to extend the reach of the CLGA across Canada, and even beyond. Given the limitations of access to the CLGA by individuals outside of Toronto, it’s important that we work to extend channels of communication and engagement with our fellow Canadians. My second hope is that the project, by engaging visitors in telling their own stories and sharing their opinions, that we will collect a wealth of diverse histories and ideas that help us to better know and remember the past. Our history books and documentary films are often filled with colourful accounts by our communities’ prominent figures, but I hope this website opens up these accounts to the stories of everyone else, those who weren’t necessarily on the front-line on a rally, but who may remember carrying a placard in the back of the crowd.”

The Pin Button Project launches on Friday, June 29^th, 2012 with a public reception at the Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives (34 Isabella St., 3rd Floor) from 6:00 to 9:00pm. Complimenting the launch will be interactive button design stations and social media integration – providing a true multiplatform experience for all guests. For more information, visit http://www.pinbuttons.ca.

About The Pin Button Project:

The Pin Button Project is an online interactive exhibition and oral history project featuring pin buttons from the Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives. Viewers engage by asking questions, stating opinions, and sharing their own stories.

About Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives:

The Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives was established to aid in the recovery and preservation of LGBT histories. Its mission: to acquire, preserve, organize, and give public access to information and materials in any medium, by and about LGBT people, primarily produced in or concerning Canada. To support this function, the Archives also maintain significant non-archival collections, which include a research library, international subject files, and an international collection of queer periodicals. It is the CLGA’s mandate to make this information available to the public for education and research. Over the years, the CLGA has helped hundreds of people – students, artists, journalists, lawyers, filmmakers complete numerous projects inside and outside of the LGBT community.

Website: http://www.pinbuttons.ca (official site launch: June 29, 2012)

Twitter: @PinButtons

Facebook: http://facebook.com/ThePinButtonProject

For interview requests or high-res photography, please contact:

Cory Stewart

Embrace Disruption Promotions

cory@embracedisruption.com

647.638.1586