‘These are the days of our lives.’
Inspired by the Queen song, this is the theme for the 2023 OUT in the OPEN Festival.
Evoking an appreciation for the present but also hope for the future, the theme encompasses what it means to be an openly queer person today — someone to be celebrated.
There’s no-one better to explain that than the artistic directer for the OUT in the OPEN Festival Carnival Day, Ruby Wyatt-Carter, who is designing a queer history museum for Carnival Day.
“There’s going to be a display for each decade, with decor from that decade, and each display will have a whole bunch of information about what it was like and what was going on in the LGBT community during that time,” Ruby said.
“It will be looking at how far we’ve come in terms of laws and in terms of social stigma.
“’These are the days of our lives’ means that this is the best time in history to be an out queer person.
“Even 10 years ago, things were different; 40 years ago, things were very different, but you know, there is still a little bit more to go before we achieve complete equality.”
Deb Chumbley is the GV Pride president and was a part of choosing the theme for the festival.
“There was lots of discussions about theme words and what we wanted to capture,” Deb said.
“Coming out of COVID, the last few years have been about re-emerging and re-inventing but we want to celebrate the wins and have more of a happy theme and that’s where we landed.
“The theme of looking back at queer history is also a way to respect our elders and acknowledge this fight is not a new fight and know that we do stand on the shoulders of giants.”
The OUT in the OPEN festival organisers are looking for performers, stall holders and volunteers to participate on Carnival Day, which falls on Saturday, November 18.
“It’s not just for the LBTGIQA+ community to get involved in, it’s anyone who is a friend, family member, ally or anyone who’s interested in that space,” Deb said.
“It’s a good chance to be a part of a very inclusive event.”
Additionally, they’re also looking for umbrella event holders, for those who might be interested in hosting their own events and activities as part of the festival.
They’re also offering sponsorship packages for businesses and organisations that are looking to support the festival.
“The more sponsorship and support we get, the bigger and better the event can be, and it’s a great way for a business and organisation to show they’re committed to this work,“ Deb said.
For more information or to put in an application to be a part of the festival, visit the OUT In the OPEN website.