Founded in 1993, the Queer Cultural Center (Qcc) is a multidisciplinary arts presenting organization that conducts artistic and interpretive programs exploring queer identity issues.

Our programs promote the careers of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender artists, foster the growth of queer arts organizations and serve queer and non-queer audiences alike.

By presenting, exhibiting and screening queer artists' work Qcc contributes a multicultural perspective on the Lesbian/Gay/ Bisexual and Transgender experience.

Description:
Each year Qcc produces the National Arts Festival (NQAF) which takes place during the month of June–a rich part of the city's Pride celebrations.
Now in its ninth year, NQAF, is a month long series of approximately 40 performing arts events, literary readings, screening, and exhibitions held at the South of Market Cultural Center (SomArts), the LGBT Community Center and various other community venues.

Qcc needs volunteers to staff the events, make arrangements with performers and artists to ensure their performances run smoothly, assist with stage management and production and to serve a gallery attendants for the various art exhibits.

History:
In 1993 friends in the arts and politics of the lesbian and gay movement based in San Francisco joined forces to create the San Francisco Lesbian and Gay Center for Art and Culture. Recognizing that there was no repository for actual works of art nor any place to incubate ideas relating to gay culture, organizers began to map a plan for the achievement of this visionary goal. Many of its founding members were veterans of then Mayor Art Agnos' Cultural Affairs Task Force which convened in 1989 and determined that there were profound inequities in the City's distribution of arts funding. At issue was the pattern of major arts institutions such as the local opera, symphony and museums enjoying the lion's share of available municipal dollars while the smaller to mid-sized non-profits, often run by women, communities of color and lesbians or gay men, were left to survive on disproportionately paltry sums.

While the majors argued that they deserved more and stated that, percentage wise, they received no more or less than their due, no one could seriously dispute the fact that these monies were handed out with virtually no mechanism for public scrutiny, a policy which outraged the smaller arts groups. Furthermore, while these same major institutions claimed that their larger audiences justified their larger budgets, few could ignore the fact that their major donor base of support came from the city's more affluent citizens, a luxury far removed from the day to day realities of the struggling community based venues. Given the ethnic demographics of the Bay Area alone, it was clear that city policies had not kept pace with changing times and populations.

Political activist and photographer, Carol Stuart; grant writer and arts consultant, Jeff Jones; artist Rudy Lemcke, and set designer and assistant artistic director for the gay performance group Theater Rhinoceros, Pam Peniston, had all served on the Mayor's Cultural Affairs Task Force. They were joined by photographer Greg Day; painter Lenore Chinn; curator Adrienne Fuzee; filmmaker Osa Hidalgo-de la Riva; photographer Freddie Niem and performance artist Blackberri to form the first board of directors of the San Francisco Center for Lesbian Gay Bi and Transgender Art and Culture, now known as the Queer Cultural Center (Qcc).

Contact people:

Chris Dunaway, Festival Coordinator, (email) Pamela Peniston, Executive Director, (email) Eli Steffen, Volunteer Coordinator, (email)

Main office number: (415) 864-2124

Address:

943 Brannan Street San Francisco, CA 94103 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.queerculturalcenter.org

Directions:

Nearest Metro/Subway Stop: Civic Center Bart,   Walk distance (in minutes): 10 - 15 minutes   Nearest Bus Stop: AC Transit #19, less than 3 minutes minute walk

Miscellaneous Information

Besides English, which languages are spoken at your agency?
	Spanish
What is the minimum age for volunteers at your agency?
	18
Is your agency wheelchair accessible?
	Yes
Does your agency have the capacity to host groups of more than 10?
	Yes
Does your agency have the capacity to host groups of more than 20?
	Yes