Although Pride Month took place in June, Bemidji Pride is hosting its annual summer festival.
Pride in the Arts takes place Thursday and is now a continuation of the series as part of the Bemidji Pride Weekend Festival. The second annual art show aims to empower local artists from the LGBTQ+ and Two-Spirit community by creating a space for them to connect with their friends and neighbors, sell their art and showcase their talent.
“After last year’s event, we talked about giving back to the community, so I thought it would be great to put this money towards art exhibitions for the Two-Spirit LGBTQ+ community, a group of people who don’t normally have the opportunity to host these kinds of exhibitions,” explained Matthew Dahl-Wooley, treasurer of Bemidji Pride.
“It’s a great way to shine a spotlight on all of the artists in our community, especially those who don’t always get a chance and those who are part of the LGBTQ+ community,” explained Rayne Heck, Marketing and Merchandising Coordinator for Bemidji Pride. “Our artists are here to showcase their art and many of them are selling it as well. We also have our Bemidji Pride silent auction and of course we have Table For 7 here where we serve all of the amazing appetizers, wines, drinks and all of the great farm stuff.”
Bemidji Pride in the Arts does its best to include all forms of art, including digital works.
“Every time we put together an art show, I try to mix up the mediums. This time, there are a lot of different things,” Matthew said. “So this time, pottery, we have VR, plus we have a wood carver who comes all the way from the cities. This is the second time she’s done this show with us. I tried to mix it up a little bit and invite people I haven’t had before and mediums I haven’t had before.”
One of the main goals of Pride in the Arts is to provide an opportunity for those who are afraid to showcase their art to do so in the company of their fellow human beings.
“It gives people who have always felt pushed into the closet and forced to stay there the opportunity to open up,” Matthew added. “They have friends who care about them because art is a window to their heart. It’s very vulnerable when you show someone your art, so you want to be in a welcoming community to start that process and then hopefully over time it gets easier for you.”
Last year, nearly 1,500 people attended the Bemidji Pride Festival. While they are pleased with that number, they still want to encourage more members to get involved with Bemidji Pride.
“This is our home, so we want to encourage the whole community to be there, and also our tribal nations like White Earth, Leech Lake and Red Lake, because these are our Indigenous brothers and sisters,” says Arnold Dahl-Wooley, Two-Spirit Advocacy Operator. “So we want to make sure everyone comes to Pride to show their support, because we need the visibility, the awareness, and what does that mean in the long run? It means suicide prevention, anti-bullying, and also equality throughout the community that we all call home.”
The fourth annual Pride Family Festival will be held tomorrow from noon to 5 p.m. at the Rail River Folk School. A family-friendly drag show will kick off right after the festival, then Bemidji Pride 2024 will conclude with a dance party through the end of the night. For more information, visit the Bemidji Pride website or Facebook page.
