The LGBT+ Archives Project of Louisiana is pleased to announce its annual membership meeting will be held on June 12 at the Hotel Peter and Paul from 7:00pm to 9:00pm.
The St. Peter and St. Paul Church in the Marigny has recently undergone an extensive renovation and now serves as a hotel, restaurant, bar, and event venue. The meeting will take place in the beautifully restored sanctuary of the venerable old church.
This year’s keynote speaker will be Wayne Phillips, Curator of the Carnival Collection as well as Costumes and Textiles at the Louisiana State Museum. Phillips will speak about a new exhibit on the history of Gay Carnival he is curating at the Presbytere called Grand Illusions: The History and Artistry of Gay Carnival in New Orleans. In addition to Phillips’ lecture, Officers of the Archives Project will give updates on the Project’s successes in the last year. The event will be catered by Martin’s Wine Cellar and wine will be provided by Bacchanal.
Grand Illusions will open at The Presbytere on June 6 and run through December 2020. The LGBT+ Archives Project of Louisiana recently awarded a $5,000.00 grant to the Louisiana State Museum to help produce the exhibit. The exhibit will be the first ever to deal with Gay Carnival. The exhibition’s title is inspired by the theme of the 1976 Armeinius Ball, “An Evening of Grand Illusions.”
This pioneering, in-depth look at the intriguing history and extraordinary visual artistry of Gay Carnival will showcase the artists and their work with a wide range of artifacts, and will include costumes and videos from the famous tableau balls of many of the krewes. Over 100 items will be presented, many of which have never before been seen by the public.
Phillips, who has worked over three years preparing the exhibit, will give attendees at the Archives Project meeting an inside, behind-the-scenes look at the exhibit. Phillips is also a member of the LGBT+ Archives Project Board of Directors.
The mission of the LGBT+ Archives Project is to promote and encourage the protection and preservation of materials that chronicle the culture and history of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender community in Louisiana.
The event is free and open to the public. For those who wish to join the Archives Project, annual membership is $10. You can pay your membership dues online at www.lgbtarchiveslouisiana.org/support.
