So many amazing people are living regular lives but doing extraordinary things; it really does warm our hearts and top up our inspiration. This issue we are super excited to have local hero Jolene Mifsud, AKA InkBits (they/them), gracing our cover.
With a stellar lineup of folk singers, musicians, dancers, and entertainers, you'll also find a diverse range of talented LGBTIQ artists, and of course, Canberra's very own Qwire will perform a special performance at this year's festival.
The National Folk Festival in Canberra is Australia’s home and heart of folk culture, having created Five Days in a Perfect World for over 50 years. Here are our queer lineup favourites!
Here are our queer lineup favourites!
1. Grace Petrie - Queer As Folk
The dynamic Grace Petrie, celebrated for her potent protest songs, comedy, and LGBTQ+ activism,...
Our essential movie list to watch this Summer! Saltburn, A Brideshead Revisited meets The Talented Mr Ripley tale. Maestro,A fusion of music, marriage and bisexuality. Poor Things, a Frankenstein-like black-comic horror and our favourite All Of Us Strangers, a mysterious, beautiful and sentimental.
Judy Small, hailed as the Grande Dame of Australian Folk Music, has left an indelible mark on the music scene with her poignant and politically charged songs.
Hailing from Coffs Harbour, she found early inspiration in folk legends like Joan Baez and The Seekers, embarking on her musical career in the late 1970s. Her songs, acclaimed for their feminist and social justice themes, have been recorded by notable artists.
Lynne O’Brien has undoubtedly earned this issue’s cover title of Local Hero! Her involvement and volunteer work with LGBTIQ+ community projects, businesses and PRIDE organisations over the past 38+ years is awe-inspiring.
She is a proud lesbian, feminist, provocateur, activist, wife, mother of three, ovarian cancer survivor and grandmother of five!
Qwire's upcoming anniversary concert, "Singing Out With Pride" will be an afternoon of uplifting music, heartwarming stories, and exuberant performances, say's Leanne Linmore, Qwire's Assistant Musical Director.
"The show will feature an eclectic repertoire of material. There will be nostalgia and personal stories as well as high-quality music. You can expect a good variety of songs and a wonderful time".
"Close to You" is a highly anticipated film representing a significant milestone in Elliot Page's career, marking his return to the big screen after publicly announcing his transition in 2020. Starring Page in the role of Sam, a transgender individual who embarks on a poignant journey back to his hometown, recently premiered at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival.
Loredo boasts an impressive pedigree in musical theatre and dance, including stage roles in The Lion King, Hairspray, Wicked, and Chicago. On Television, Loredo was a finalist on So You Think You Can Dance and was a member of The Voice Australia’s dance troupe. He is the owner and Director of the LOcREaDO Dance Company and performed alongside Kylie Minogue on her Aphrodite Les Folies tour.
FUSE: What can audiences expect when they come to see this production of The Rocky Horror Show?
Loredo Malcolm: A fun night of theatre with what I think is one of the best casts of The Rocky Horror Sh...
At the height of World War One, the United States Army realised its communications systems were not up to scratch. To fix this, an unexpected solution was found. ‘The Hello Girls’ is an entertaining new musical playing soon at the Canberra Theatre Centre about a group of pioneering women who made an invaluable contribution to the war effort and continued to fight for their rights long after the battlefield conflicts ended.
