What’s new

07 Nov, 2022 Student and Staff LGBTQ+ Activism at McGill

October has been an eventful month! On Octobre 26th, a vernissage for an exhibition on Student and Staff LGBTQ+ Activism at McGill took place at the university’s McLennan Library. The Archives gaies du Québec, which conserve many archival collections related to LGBTQ+ student organizations, loaned posters for the exhibition. Other LGBTQ+ documentation centers collaborated to this event, organized by Dr. Alex Ketchum, including the Archives lesbiennes du Québec, McGill University’s Archives, and Biblioqueer. The AGQ’s team was there for the event to say a few words on our organization.

07 Nov, 2022 A moving evening

On October 16th, the Archives gaies du Québec held a small evening at their offices to celebrate the donation of André Landry’s photograph, Je m’ouvre au matin comme l’éveil / Et pourtant j’ai le regard figé sur la fin. The artwork in question depicts André Landry and his partner Alain, a few months before the latter’s death from complications of HIV/AIDS. A few members of the AGQ were there for the event, as well as four friends of André and Alain, who often met at their apartment in the Village in the early 90s. A very moving reunion.

For more details on the photograph, we invite you to read Bernard Mulaire’s article in the Archigai, no. 31, p. 5.

07 Nov, 2022 Celebration of an impressive career

A festive gathering took place at the Écomusée du fier monde on October 21st, for the vernissage of Robert Laliberté’s exhibition.

This event was an occasion to celebrate the talented photographer’s career of 45 years. He announced during the evening that the totality of his photographic work, comprised of 200 000 negatives, contact sheets, slides, and prints, will be donated to the Archives gaies du Québec.

The event was also the launch of the Archives gaies du Québec’s annual fundraiser. This year, one of Robert Laliberté’s photographs, À fleur de peau (2011), will be the prize. Our warmest thanks and congratulations to this generous donor.

13 Oct, 2022 LGBTQ2S+ WIKI WORKSHOP

On October 29th, join the Archives gaies du Québec for a Wikipédia editing workshop. This workshop is intended for novices and experienced Wikipedia editors alike. It will provide tools and documentation for participants to enrich French Wikipédia’s pages relating to Québec LGBTQ2S+ history.

The event will be hosted by Michael David Miller, Wikipedia editor and librarian, supported by Simone Beaudry-Pilotte, archivist at the Archives gaies du Québec (AGQ). Suggested entries to be edited will be drawn from the AGQ’s collections, made available for consultation during the workshop.

There is no fee required to attend this event, organized as part of the Disrupting Disruptions: Feminist and Accessible Publishing, Communications, and Technology conference series. Bring a laptop. The workshop is in French and in-person at the AGQ’s offices.

           REGISTER HERE

WHERE : Archives gaies du Québec
1000, Atateken, suite 201-A
Montréal QC H2L 3K5

WHEN : October 29th, 2022 – 1 pm

23 Sep, 2022 A Quality Recruit

Marion Daigle joins our team at the Archives gaies du Québec for a period of six months thanks to a salary grant from Emploi Québec ! Marion will be helping out on various fronts, there to support the work already underway by the other AGQ employees. Versatile and efficient, having this new employee on board will be an precious asset for the team.

Marion has just completed a bachelor’s degree in theatre (with a concentration in acting) at the École supérieure de théâtre de l’UQAM, and previously studied at McGill as part of a bachelor’s degree in Gender, Sexuality, Feminist and Social Justice studies and Indigenous studies.

Welcome to the team!

23 Sep, 2022 Important Acquisitions This Summer

This summer, the Archives gaies du Québec were fortunate to receive five important acquisitions.

In June, we received the archives Glenn Craig, photographer who worked at the PJ’s cabaret during the 1970s. This fonds contains hundreds of photographs illustrating events and shows that took place at this famous cabaret, a landmark for Québec’ LGBTQ2S+ history.

In August the Archives gaies du Québec acquired Claude Guillet’s archives, who worked as a photographer and graphic designer for Fondation Émergence and for Gai Écoute. His archives inform us of advertising campaigns, publications, and events held by these organizations. Also in August, we acquired the archives of Gilbert Émond, attesting to his teaching and research career focusing on homosexual community, AIDS prevention, and homophobia.

At the end of the summer, the Archives gaies du Québec received a donation by Alan Wong. His archives illustrate his implication among BIPOC LGBTQ2S+ organizations and events; GLAM, Qouleur, Multimondo, and Ethnoculture.

23 Sep, 2022 HIV/AIDS Time Capsules: Concealed Stories

Until the end of 2022, the Archives gaies du Québec will be hosting a time capsule project that aims to commemorate the stories of life with HIV/AIDS.

Created by Denis Cormier-Piché, this project invites people living with HIV/AIDS or having been witnesses to this disease in their lives, to submit an anonymous capsule that can contain writing, photos, images, drawings, or poems. Any element that can help us understand what the participant has lived, and the repercussions of HIV/AIDS in their daily lives.

The capsules can be handed in to the AGQ in person, or sent by mail to our address. A consent form will be submitted to participants. The capsules will be conserved at the Archives gaies du Québec and their contents will be revealed in 2047.

19 Aug, 2022 Two terrific Community Days

After two years of absence, Fierté Montréal came roaring back and organized two community days on Friday August 5th and Saturday August 6th.

The Archives gaies du Québec (AGQ) were there, at a stand on the corner of Sainte-Catherine and Saint-Timothée. Despite the heat, the crowd was very enthusiastic. As usual, we handed out postcards and copies of the Archigai to people from across the world and answered questions.

This was also the opportunity to invite people over to the AGQ’s LE SIDA EN AFFICHES exhibition at our offices.

19 Aug, 2022 Le sida en affiches

The LE SIDA EN AFFICHES exhibition was initially meant as a historical overview of the extent of the fight against AIDS based on the Archives gaies du Québec’s (AGQ) extensive AIDS poster collection. This event was planned as part the 24th International AIDS Conference that took place in Montreal between July 29th and August 2nd 2022 at the Palais des Congrès.

Taking place at the AGQ’s offices, the exhibition received financial support from Fierté Montréal, as well as from Fugues and the Caisse Desjardins du Quartier-Latin. From August 1st to 7th, over two hundred visitors came to see thirty posters from around the world that were displayed throughout our offices. Visitors were mostly from outside of Montreal – some came from as far as India, South America, or Australia – but also many English-speaking visitors from Montreal, Quebec, and Canada!

We received warm thanks for the quality of our hospitality and of the display.

19 Aug, 2022 A well-deserved honour

Armand Monroe received the John-Banks prize, from the hands of his friend John Banks himself.

In the 1950s, at a time when homosexuality was both a crime and a disease, Armand Monroe succeeded in organizing openly gay public events. Known as “La Monroe”, Armand Monroe hosted female impersonation evenings until the 1980s, most notably at the PJ’s club. He also participated in Montreal’s first Pride March, organized by John Banks in 1979. He has been a pionneer in the affirmation and recognition of homosexual rights, paving the way for today’s gender and sexual diversity. The John-Banks prize is a reward for a life of commitment to LGBTQ2S+ causes. He recently made a donation of text documents, objects, photos and paintings to the Archives gaies du Québec.

Congratulations to “La Monroe”!

29 Jul, 2022 An important commemoration and re-dedication

Between 1990-1993, ACT UP Montréal protested the inaction of the Québec government in the face of the HIV/AIDS crisis, and the parc de l’Espoir on the corner of rues Panet and Sainte-Catherine Est is the living monument of their activism.

On July 31, 2022 at 19h00, the Mémoire vivante du parc de l’Espoir is hosting a re-dedication ceremony in memory of those who have died and are living with HIV. The program includes speeches by Mayor Valérie Plante and Dr. Jean Pierre Routy, Montréal organizer of the 29th International AIDS Conference, a musical performance by Michelle Sweeney and the screening of a short film outlining the career of ACT UP MTL, produced in partnership with the Archives gaies du Québec.

Free to all.

29 Jul, 2022 Montreal Pride

Community days

This year, Community Days will take place on Friday August 5th and Saturday August 6th, from 11 am to 6 pm. The Archive gaies du Québec’s stand will be located at the corner of Sainte-Catherine Est and Saint-Timothée.

Come and meet us!

Pride parade is back!

The Montreal Pride Parade is back this year. As is tradition, it is the final event of Pride week, taking place on Sunday, August 7th.

The Archives gaies du Québec will be participating. Come join our group at noon at section 6 on René-Lévesque West. Unfortunately there will be no vehicle available for people with mobility issues. Don’t forget to bring water!

29 Jul, 2022 Aids in posters

From August 1st to 7th, the Archives gaies du Québec will be hosting an exhibition called Le sida en affiches (AIDS in posters). More than 30 posters from around the world, conserved in our collections, illustrate AIDS awareness campaigns from the 80s onwards among various LGBTQ2S+ communities.

This exhibition was made possible thanks to Fierté Montréal, as part of Pride celebrations, and in partnership with Fugues and the Caisse Desjardins du Quartier-Latin, in order to highlight the 24th International AIDS Conference taking place in Montreal this year.

The exhibition space located at the 1000, Atateken suite 201A will be open to the public between 1 and 5 pm from August 1st to 7th. To access, enter the code 2011 at the main entrance. We are located at the top of the staircase behind a red door.

29 Jul, 2022 Board elections

The AGQ’s 2022 Annual General Assembly took place on July 10th. As with every year, half of the Board members were elected.

This year, four (4) Councillor positions, as well as the Vice-president and Treasurer positions were to be determined. Iain Blair was elected Vice-president, Raymond Thibault, Treasurer. Three Councillor positions were filled : Bernard Mulaire (Councillor no 1), Marc-André Bernier (Councillor no 4) and Paul Ungureanu (Councillor no 5). The Councillor no 3 position remains vacant.