Expanded queer festival scours globe for headliners

[Pelican Press 0]

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Expanded ****** festival scours globe for headliners

The world’s largest centre for ****** history and culture looks to grow its centrepiece event as it prepares to host hundreds of artists for a month-long program of events and workshops.

Expanding the festival, nearly tripling the number of events, is a task that has kept Qtopia Pride Fest curator Carly Fisher busy since 2024’s inaugural festival finished.

“The dreams from last year became the blueprint for this year,” she told AAP ahead of the 2025 festival’s launch on Sunday.

Expansion efforts have involved scouring the globe for artists and opportunities.

“Looking for what I think will best suit our Sydney audiences and what I know people will love,” Ms Fisher said.

One of them is Jens Radda’s award-winning drag cabaret show Skank Sinatra, among three headliners for the 2025 festival.

“When she asked me if I wanted to headline it was an obvious ‘yes’ straight away and definitely an honour and a privilege to do,” Radda told AAP.

Skank Sinatra is “a heightened version of me”, he said.

“The show is slightly political but in a very camp and joyous kind of vein.

“If you can bring people together rather than separate people I think that’s important.”

Skank Sinatra is on at Qtopia’s Loading Dock Theatre from June 14-22, a schedule which had to change after the original run clashed with new commitments.

“Funny enough, years of auditioning for acting gigs … getting some small things, and then finally when I’m in my full cabaret career-blossoming I get a feature film,” Radda said.

Ms Fisher said this year’s growing festival also features more workshop opportunities in a bid to prioritise conversations and artistic development.

“We want to spark discussions and we hope that in doing that we foster community and we start to drop the little seedlings of change.”

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