Rainbow groups and activities

LGBTI history walk tours

The not-so-straight artists walk tour  - Sunday 1^st October 1pm

Explore some of the locations and stories associated with artists, writers and musicians who are in some way related to Rainbow LGBTI+ communities. They’ll feature writers Katherine Mansfield and Frank Sargeson, artists Dorothy Richmond and Francis Hodgkins, musicians Douglas Lilburn and the Glamaphones choir, international visitors Rupert Brooke and Somerset Maugham, and visit what is widely considered to be the most homoerotic sculpture in Wellington.
Book at www.taonga.nz/walktours. Share the facebook event page

Walk Tours NZ is a volunteer group that offers free, accessible, inclusive and community-focused walking tours around Wellington highlighting the city’s rich LGBTI rainbow heritage. Usually held on the first Sunday of the month. They walk on flat, accessible public footpaths. Tours are limited to approximately 20 walkers.

Rainbow Dragon Club

Sunday 1 October 6pm @ Smart Newtown (next to Newtown Library)

A fortnightly boardgame and tabletop game club for the LGBTQ+ community and for women.
You are welcome to bring along your own games, miniatures, and paints. Or just bring yourself and try out a game in their collection! Follow on facebook.

Art exhibition with events

The current exhibition at Enjoy Contemporary Art Space is To the Friend Who Did Not Save My Life, curated by Jess Clifford and featuring Tobias Allen, Sholto Buck, Barbara Hammer, Laura Langer, Laila Majid, David Moser, Louis Blue Newby, Dayle Palfreyman and Charlotte Prodger. The exhibition takes as its point of departure the novel of the same name by French writer and photographer Hervé Guibert, and proposes a constellation of relationality between a group of intra-generational artists working in Aotearoa and internationally. Written following Guibert’s terminal AIDS diagnosis in late 1980s Paris, the book's narrative is a thinly veiled fiction of three months in the penultimate year of the author’s life, and hinges around a candid account of the death of his friend Muzil — a stand-in for inimitable philosopher and BDSM enthusiast Michel Foucault. A celebration of unruly bodies at a time of threatened extinction, Guibert’s text functions as a paean to friendship and community as well as a wry and unflinching devotion to chronicling corporality.

There is a selection of public programming for the duration of this exhibition:

• Curator’s tour with Jess Clifford: Saturday 23 September, 2pm
• Pillow Talk: the films of Barbara Hammer A special one-night screening of short works from the 1980s pioneering lesbian filmmaker Barbara Hammer (1939-2019): Friday 6 October, 6pm
• Performance: Ashes and Action by Tobias Allen: Friday 10 November, 11am-6pm
• Artist talk: Dayle Palfreyman and Tobias Allen: Saturday 11 November, 2pm

Enjoy Contemporary Art Space is open Wednesday–Friday 11am–6pm & Saturday 11am–4pm, at 211 Left Bank, off Cuba St.

Rainbow Wellington

Rainbow Wellington is an LGBTI+ organisation that focuses on networking, events and lobbying. Their website has information about past and present campaigns as well as directories of local LGBTI+ businesses, groups and activities. Follow on facebook

Next event:

• Monthly drinks: Friday 13 October 5:30pm @ Fork & Brewer, 14 Bond St.

Wellington Feminist Creative Community — Poetry Nights!

Tuesday 17 October at 7:30pm @ The Fringe Bar, Allen St.

The Wellington Feminist Creative Community brings you its monthly curated Poetry Night! Eight poets bring their finest and freshest work to Tuesday nights.

The Poetry Nights are a safe and inclusive place for people to express themselves and are mindful of the need to avoid transphobia, misogyny, racism and ableism. They seek to platform a diversity of voices from the glorious expanse that is Wellington's rainbow communities. New poets are always welcome ... more on facebook.

CampGround Rainbow Comedy Night

Thursday 19 October 8pm @ Ivy Bar and Cabaret, 63 Cuba St.

A comedy showcase of our best LGBTQAII+ standup comedians, on the third Thursday of the month. Featuring polished pros and hilarious up-and-comers. Support your community by laughing with us! ... tix on eventfinda or at the door.

Glamaphones Choir

The Glamaphones are Wellington's all-inclusive rainbow choir based at St Andrews on the Terrace. They are a friendly mixed choir and welcome anyone who wishes to sing. They sing a range of music including pop, classical, spirituals, world, choral, musical, and jazz classics. Follow the Glamaphones on facebook or their website. Rehearsals on Thursdays 6.30pm (usually) at St Andrews on the Terrace.

Same sex dancing classes

The Sunday night DANSS classes are for Gay and Lesbian people and friends who wish to learn some classical Ballroom, some funky Latin American and some elegant New Vogue dance moves. A partner is not necessary however an attitude in wanting to learn and having fun is required.
Classes are held at the Thistle Hall, corner of Cuba and Arthur Streets.
Beginner's class start at 7 pm and the Intermediate classes start at 8 pm. Payment is by koha/donation.

Check the DANSS facebook page or website for more information.

PrideNZ.com audio archive

Follow news of the latest audio files of interviews and events added to PrideNZ on their facebook page

• The Events section on the Pride NZ webside has audio from many queer/rainbow events, conferences and campaigns from around the country - a treasure trove with more being added regularly.
• The On This Day page has a rich mix of rainbow life - from events that happened over 100 years ago to today.
• An interactive map of rainbow related sites in Wellington with links to interviews and articles on the website.
• Check out the historical timeline of GLBTTIQ events and people in New Zealand. Sample it by decade or settle in to read the big page with the full list.

Ivy Bar and Cabaret

James Smiths Basement, 49 Cuba Street - ivybar.co.nz - they have lots of shows and events

S&M's - Scotty and Mal's Cocktail and Lounge Bar

176 Cuba Street - www.scottyandmals.co.nz

facebook and other social media groups

• Rainbow Hutt Valley | Te Ngākau Kahukura o Te Awa Kairangi
• Hutt Valley Rainbows
• Queer Network NZ - Wellington Chapter - information sharing network
• Breaking Boundaries an online forum that offers a safe place to chat for all Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer identifying individuals of all ages
• Gay Wellington
• Tīwhanawhana is a takatāpui community group in Wellington that welcomes people of all diverse sexualities and gender. The kaupapa of Tīwhanawhana is primarily for takatāpui: building community, telling our stories and leaving legacies.
• Out at Work - union group
• UniQ Victoria - facebook groups for queer students
• UniQ Massey Wellington
• Lost Gay Wellington
• Queer Network NZ Wellington Chapter
• Vinegar Hill Gay Camping for rainbow people and their families over Christmas and the New Year holiday period

and no doubt there are many many more ...