Quebec artist, Safia Nolin is to present the first edition of Saint-Jeanne, a new type of Fête Nationale, aiming to include artists that are often left out of traditional St-Jean-Baptiste celebrations. The event will be live-streamed on Nolin’s Facebook page on June 24th at 8PM.
Artists and activists from a variety of backgrounds will come together to celebrate Quebec. Backxwash (nominated on the 2020 Polaris Music Prize Long List), Tranna Wintour, Gabrielle Boulianne Tremblay, Karl Hardy, Annie Sama, and drag queens Matante Alex and Gisèle Lullaby – to name only a few – were invited to share this virtual stage and let their feelings towards this holiday fuel their performances. The artwork for the event is the work of Kezna Dalz, whom you can find on Instagram as Teenadultt.
The evening will be hosted by Kiara, a Montreal based drag queen of colour. You can catch her on Canada’s Drag Race starting July 2nd on Crave where she will fight for the crown while proudly representing Quebec and francophones.
The idea for this project came from a conversation between Safia Nolin and her friend Philippe Marinier. They were discussing the recent momentum around the fight against systemic racism here in Quebec and decided to join forces. They want to create a space where no one would have to choose between their own identities and their sense of belonging in Quebec.
Kiara joined the project, bringing to the table her voice, ideas and experiences in Quebec’s drag scene.
Philippe recently left his job of several years and decided to spend the summer volunteering with the LGBTQ+ community. The chance to work on something that means so much to him was really motivating, so he went all in with Saint-Jeanne.
The team quickly realized that their varying backgrounds and professional experiences benefited the project and a bond quickly formed between the three of them.
This event does not rely on financial partnerships. A crowdfunding campaign was created to offer viewers a way to support performers. All participants will be equally compensated after the show finishes streaming.
Follow Saint-Jeanne on Instagram to learn more about the rest of the lineup.
Photo credit: Miroslav Dufresne
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