Application FAQ’s

Queer Spectra Arts Festival is a multidisciplinary multiday festival dedicated to showcasing diverse LGBTQIA+ artistic perspectives. 2026 will be Queer Spectra’s 8th annual festival. There are typically performances, a gallery, workshops, artist gatherings, panels, and more. To learn more about past festivals, check out our website: https://www.queerspectra.com/past-festivals

The 2026 Queer Spectra Arts Festival will be Thursday May 14th to Saturday May 16th in Salt Lake City Utah at the Sorenson Unity Center (1383 S 900 W, Salt Lake City, UT 84104).

Yes! We have had many out-of-state artists participate in the festival. Artists are responsible for any travel costs or costs to ship work to Salt Lake City.

Please note, once accepted, you can apply to the scholarship to cover some shipping or travel costs. Queer Spectra Arts Festival does not provide housing.

Yes! We have had multiple international artists participate in the festival. Artists are responsible for any travel costs or costs to ship work to Salt Lake City.

Please note, once accepted, you can apply to the scholarship to cover some shipping or travel costs. Queer Spectra Arts Festival does not provide housing.

Thanks to generous support from grants, donations, and our community, there are no fees or costs for artists to participate in the festival. Queer Spectra does not charge any fees to apply or present/perform your work. 

The Festival is open to the public with a suggested donation NOTAFLOF (No one turned away for lack of funds).

We are excited to be able to provide direct financial support to artists. Scholarships are available to cover some of costs involved in creating your work such as compensation for materials and space. They can also support costs involved in presenting your work such as shipping and travel.

Scholarships are intended to offer support for the creation process, especially for those who would otherwise not be able to present their art without financial assistance. The scholarship application will be available to artists after they have been accepted into the festival. There is a limited amount of funding available and scholarships will be awarded based on financial need and individual merit.

The theme is Troubling the Lines. You can read more about the theme here: https://www.queerspectra.com/theme-troubling-the-lines

Every year, the organizing committee selects a theme for the festival and asks artists to respond to this theme in their work. We also curate workshops and presentations around this theme.

This year, the theme is Troubling the Lines. Artists are asked to tell us how their work aligns with the theme and we encourage artists to take this theme in many different directions. However, if your work does not align with the theme, we ask artists to tell us why it is important that your work is showcased in the 2026 Queer Spectra Arts Festival. 

Only one submission will be accepted per artist.

• 2D/3D artists may submit a single work or small series of works. A series must be connected and identified in the application.  

• Literary artists may present multiple works as long as their reading is 8 minutes or less. Do not submit multiple applications for multiple works; submit only one application with all of the works including.

2D/3D artists may submit a single work or small series of works. We do not put restrictions on the size of your work.

In each performance, we showcase around 7-10 artists so we cannot program extended or evening length works. In the past, we have had artists perform excerpts from longer works. Please refer to the following guidelines for time-based works:

• For time-based art works, we encourage the following time limits: Dance, theatre, performance art: maximum 8 minutes for solos, 10 minutes for group works (including duo). Music: 10 minutes max. Short films: maximum 8 minutes.

• For literary works, artists can read their pieces and/or have them available for audience members to read them in the gallery. For reading literary works, 8 minutes for solos, 10 minutes for group works (including duo).

To include so many amazing performers, time-based artists will only perform/present their work only in ONE show. If you have conflicts the weekend of the festival, please include them in your application. Any show on Thursday (5/14) or Friday (5/15) will be in the evening. The show on Saturday (5/16) will be in the late afternoon or early evening.

Works will be presented in the Black Box Theater of the Sorenson Unity Center (1383 S 900 W, Salt Lake City, UT 84104). There is a stationary overhead projector for displaying films. There is basic theatrical lighting and performing artists will have a short tech rehearsal to tech their work before the performance. If you have specific technical needs, please email queerspectra@gmail.com with more details and we can let you know more about what we can and cannot accommodate.

This is a festival made by and for humans. We will not accept works made by AI. We require artists to disclose any use of AI and how it was used in your work.

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