OutFest 2022 Archive

 In February 2022 we presented the first ever OutFest in partnership with Dundee Pride. Thanks to the Scottish Government's Community Recovery Fund 2, we were able to pack LGBTQ+ History Month full with free events, workshops and talks online and across Dundee.

Over 28 days there were 64 OutFest events with over 700 attendees! Of course, some firm favourites returned, including A Day to Play and Teeny Weeny, but we also launched some very exciting new projects like our free community disco, Discotheque!

We awarded bursaries of £1000 or £500 to nine LGBTQ+ artists, allowing them to spend the month working on their craft. At the end of the month, they shared their progress with us in an open sharing, featuring all sorts of wonderful work from oil paintings to aerial skills.

28 days, 64 events, 742 attendees. 88% of people felt better connected. 84% increased their learning and knowledge. 80% felt more inspired. 72% felt happier and hopeful. 56% have developed their career thanks to OutFest.

"The team were fantastic, the number of events undertaken with relatively small team in the month of Feb is testament to how much passion and enthusiasm there was for the festival. Shaper/Caper and Dundee Pride were great at communicating their deadlines and programming requirements and I felt well informed of who the target audience were, when and what the opportunities were for participation etc. A very successful programme and I would be delighted to support again for 2023.”

"Thank you for the incredible growth opportunity and platform that you have provided me. Thank you for trusting on my project too! It meant the world to me. I am a better connected professional and have hope for a much brighter future for all of us. The energy and vibe of everyone at Shaper/Caper is contagious miles and miles away. Your light makes us all shine brighter!”

Listen to our OutFest 2022 playlist

Lauren Bassam

Farrukh

Caspar Starton

Stephanie Crowe

Alex McCrossan

Alex Muir

Watch The In/Out Crowd

Watch Queer Question Time

We gathered in Dundee's Overgate for a discussion of LGBTQ+ issues with local MSP's, moderated by the Equality Network's Scott Cuthbertson. We were joined by Joe FitzPatrick MSP for the SNP, Maggie Chapman MSP for the Scottish Greens, Willie Rennie MSP for Liberal Democrats and Mercedes Villalba MSP for Labour.



We'd like to thank absolutely everyone who's helped make it happen - our wonderful OutFest ambassadors, our life-saving interns, all of our partners and supporters, our fabulously talented bursary recipients, everyone who has come along to an event, everyone who has helped to spread the word, and anyone who has otherwise been part of the OutFest family. We really couldn't have done it alone!