The Festival has moved from 2022 to summer 2023. “We can affirm without a doubt that Bologna is the foremost city in Italy where GLBT culture is alive and productive, with more than 20 GLBT organizations and a Municipality that stands firmly against discrimination and promotes equality and diversity. Bologna was the first Italian city to assign a community location for its LGBT citizens: the Cassero di Porta Saragozza in 1982. It was also the first to elect a transsexual to the local council, Marcella Di Folco, directly from the LGBT movement. Since 2016 the local authority has been part of the rainbow cities of Europe and the European coalition of cities against racism”. Festival Hosts : KOMOS CORO GAY DI BOLOGNA. Further details from https://www.legato-choirs.com/variousvoicesfestival/15TH-FESTIVAL-VARIOUS-VOICES-2023-BOLOGNA

Sydney Gay & Lesbian Choir will be hosting a major International LGBTQI+ Choral Festival from 19-23 February 2023 in the run up to Sydney World Pride called Out & Loud & Proud (OLP).

OLP will be an expansion of the Out and Loud festival, where Australian and Pacific LGBTQI+ choirs regularly gather, to include choirs and individuals from across the globe. You are invited to join us as we gather together, dream big and amplify our voices by participating in 4 days of singing, workshops, performances and social events culminating in a Gala Concert in one of Sydney’s iconic venues. This will be an amazing opportunity to network, sing and enjoy one of the world’s most beautiful and vibrant cities during Sydney World Pride.

Registrations are now open. Check out the website here.

Canberra Qwire was delighted to host 9 choirs at Out & Loud in October 2019. 300 singers participated from LGBTIQ+ choirs from : Auckland, Fiji, Timor Leste, Perth, Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, Darwin and Canberra. Guest Conductor Stephen Leek conducted 3 massed choral pieces including the specially commissioned ‘Stronger Together’ by Sally Whitwell. Choirs performed free concerts in Canberra’s iconic venues to the delight of hundreds of spectators. Out & Loud was once again a chance for our LGBTIQ+ choirs to connect with each other and show ourselves proudly to the wider community. Our highlights video captures some of these special moments.

3000 singers from almost 100 choirs attended Legato’s Various Voices Festival in Munich in May 2018. Choirs performed in the iconic Philharmonie Gasteig concert hall as well as in the Odeonplattz where 8000 singers performed Carmina Burana. (Legato - European Association of LGBTQ+ Choirs). Canberra Qwire had an incredible time at the Festival performing its own repertoire as well as joining in with the Carmina Burana experience.