About Exposure.

Exposure: Edmonton’s Queer Arts and Culture Festival is an initiative of five-term City of Edmonton Councillor Michael Phair. The first Exposure Festival took place from Nov. 23 – Dec. 1, 2007; it was so successful that the festival has become an annual event. It is plotted, planned and executed through the work of a dedicated steering committee and diverse working groups. Exposure’s volunteers work in collaboration with queer arts and culture organizations in the city.

What is Exposure?

Exposure uncovers, highlights and celebrates queer arts and culture. The festival exposes queer artists to new audiences, and exposes Edmonton audiences to new art.
Exposure presents queer artists working in diverse media. By creating environments where artists can explore queer culture and take risks, the festival cultivates creative synergies, thought-provoking displays, social commentary, and new possibilities for inhabiting sexuality and gender. Exposure questions and inspires, celebrates and expands the spectrum of queer expression.

A Quick Note on the Term Queer

We use the term “queer” to embrace all forms of sexual self-identification that depart from normative heterosexuality, including transsexuality, intersexuality, and Two-Spiritedness. In addition to signifying greater openness, the term “queer,” which used to be pejorative, makes the important point that hurtful language can be reclaimed for positive identification.