I've recently arrived home from a story-gathering road trip around regional Victoria. It was The Wayfinder Mobile Story Studio's first time out of Tasmania!
Midsumma Festival approached me late last year with an idea to tour regional communities within Victoria and collect stories about the LGBTQIA+ experience. Of course I said yes, and on 27 January I set sail on the Spirit of Tasmania with my studio. We called the project Pridefinder: The Rainbow Road Trip.
I spoke to almost 50 people in 9 different locations and the stories focused on the lives, history and reflections of LGBTQIA+ people. I covered around 1400 kilometres and met so many wonderful, kind, compassionate, open hearted, talented people. And the crew at Midsumma were amazing to work with. They had a vision and together we made it happen!
The trip began in Geelong. From there I travelled to Ballarat and met some of the people from Frolic Festival, then it was onto Bendigo, followed by Kyneton, down to Morwell, Sale, Warragul, Wangaratta and Shepparton. Shout out to the Gippsland Pride Initiative, LINE Wangaratta (LGBTQIA+ in the North East), PollyannaR, Bendigo Pride and Thornharbour Country, Macedon Ranges Accessible Arts, the Old Auction House, Wellington Shire Seed Garden, West Gippsland Arts Centre and Goulbourn Valley Pride.
We presented some of the interviews at Victoria's Pride Street Party in Fitzroy on 12 February. This was the perfect ending to an absolutely incredible road trip. We're hoping to create a podcast in the not too distant future. Stay tuned.
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