Meetings & Groups
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Celebrate LGBTQ Art in Sacramento

Ready to experience Sacramento’s LGBTQ art scene? You’ve got options.

In a city that has earned top marks on its LGBTQ Report Card for representation and inclusivity, it should come as no surprise that queer creativity is on full display in Sacramento’s art community.

Through painting, sculpture, theater, music, literature and more, LGBTQ artists in Sacramento are constantly exploring and celebrating their unique and diverse experiences. As a result, there is perhaps no better way to uplift–or become a part of–the city’s queer culture than by seeking out and supporting these multidisciplinary visionaries.

Here are some of our favorite ways to connect with our city’s LGBTQ community–in its many forms and colors.

Second Saturday Art Walk

This monthly event is a gathering of local artists, vendors, entertainers and more in Midtown Sacramento. Visitors can enjoy a stroll through Lavender Heights (a name bestowed upon the neighborhood by locals for its abundance of gay bars and venues) and enjoy the festivities, which include an open-door art walk through the area’s many galleries, live music performances and other special programming.

Rainbow sidewalks in Lavender Heights, Sacramento (intersection of 20th and K streets). Taken 12/1/2015.

Queer Voices

Formed by the Sacramento LGBTQ Community Center, this performance group puts queer art (in all its mediums) in pride of place. Made up of both youth and adults, Queer Voices travels to local high schools, colleges and community events to share their music, writing, visual art, comedy, dance, drag and more. Visitors to the city will find plenty of opportunities to see the ensemble’s next live show, while residents are encouraged to join in and bring their own artistic expression to the group’s vast repertoire.

Acrylic painting of a woman's head and shoulders, with blue and yellow skin and long wavy black hair, against a pale pink background
“Wasp Woman” - Acrylic Ink and Sharpie on Paper
Korah Velasco, 21, Queer Voices participant

Broad Room Collective

This feminist nonprofit arts organization provides studio space, community support, and resources to Sacramento artists, with a strong focus on queer and BIPOC visionaries. In addition to featured artist gallery shows, workshops, and art-focused community events, the collective maintains a free art supply closet to ensure that no artist is left without tools for artistic expression.

Broad Room

Sacramento Gay Men’s Chorus

Founded in the wake of the AIDS crisis to foster a community of support, the Gay Men’s Chorus now welcomes all queer identities into its membership. Their performance season runs from August through the following July, and in addition to its annual winter and spring productions, the chorus performs throughout the city at various events and fundraisers. With more than 90 members, catching a choral performance is a unique chance to see the full spectrum of queer identities represented and unified, using their voices to celebrate their experiences, confront intolerance and advance social change.

a photo of a large group of singers in black suit and tie
Photo Courtesy of Sacramento Gay Men's Chorus

Atrium Gallery LGBTQ Art Mixer

A new event launched in 2022, this mixer is hosted at the Atrium Gallery and is described as an opportunity “for our LGBTQ community to find connections through art-making.” Attendees are separated into groups and given a collaborative artistic task using upcycled materials, and the finished pieces are then auctioned off with proceeds supporting the gallery’s nonprofit. While activities might be subject to change between variations, Atrium representatives confirm the event will continue as a monthly series. Keep an eye on the gallery’s calendar for the next event and information on buying tickets.

 

Lavender Library

This volunteer-run library and archive is dedicated to the preservation of queer stories from across the globe, as well as providing a space for community gatherings. The library’s collection of books, magazines, oral histories and more are available for browsing (and checkout for locals who sign up for a membership). In 2022, Lavender Library moved into a newly-expanded space to accommodate more materials and regular gatherings, which include amBi, a group for bisexual and pansexual people and their allies; FTM Sacramento, a group for female-to-male and transmasculine folks; and The Other Mic, a comedy night that is open to all ages and allies. On top of those regularly occurring events, the library frequently hosts other special programs, such as its Queering the Holidays pop-up art market, which launched in 2021.

restaurant-The Depot

LGBTQ Welcome Guide

Our LGBTQ Welcome Guide has essential insider tips and highlights for travelers and locals alike. Inside our guide you will find things to do, places to see, businesses to support, and so much more.

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