Help me debut my LGBTQ social impact exhibit in Toronto

Hi! I am seeking support in my attempt to debut my first ever fine art photography exhibit with the hopes of inspiring positive change for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community!

Local Edmonton Fundraiser Event Info:

https://www.facebook.com/events/663267789357970

[TL;DR:

I'm Lee, a neurodivergent gay photographer debuting HUSH, my first fine art photography exhibit, at Contact Photography Festival in Toronto. This 20-piece series highlights 2SLGBTQIA+ struggles and resilience, with 25% of profits supporting LGBTQ+ charities. Funds raised will cover the $7215 production cost of gallery-standard prints and framing for 12 of the pieces to be shown as my debut exhibit. If donations exceed project costs the surplus will be donated to charity. If you can’t donate, sharing the project or supporting LGBTQ+ rights helps immensely. Together, we can inspire change!]

Who am I?

My name is Lee, and I'm a photographer from Edmonton, AB. I am 31 years old, neurodivergent (ADHD and ASD), and I am Gay. I recently completed my first fine art series, centered around 2SLGBTQIA+ social impact issues, that I plan to debut at Contact Photography Festival in Toronto. Producing a fine art photography exhibit is a daunting task, and comes with equally daunting financial costs. It has also been extremely fulfilling to be working on such a large scale body of work with a deeply personal theme.

What is the project?

HUSH is a fine art photography series that confronts the repression and erasure of 2SLGBTQIA+ culture. This 20-piece collection, created in collaboration with two trans models, captures the struggles, resilience, and underrepresented issues within the LGBTQ+ community. The exhibit seeks to challenge viewers to reflect on the systemic silencing of queer identities and inspire greater empathy and visibility. 25% of all profits from print sales will also be donated to LGBTQ+ organizations!

As a gay man living in Alberta, I have witnessed firsthand the challenges faced by LGBTQ+ individuals in less-accepting regions. Collaborating with trans models, I aimed to create a body of work that resonates with our shared experiences. Drawing from my background in fine art and graphic design, the series aims to merge technical expertise with deeply personal storytelling.

The goal of HUSH is to to foster dialogue around inclusivity and understanding and inspire actionable change. Bringing to light underrepresented struggles for LGBTQ+ individuals from both external sources and from within our own community. Each image juxtaposes vulnerability with strength, using light, texture, and composition to evoke a powerful emotional response. The series invites viewers into a raw, intimate space while emphasizing themes of resistance, pride, and solidarity.

The exhibit consists of 20 large-format prints available in three sizes (small, medium, large), with options for framed or unframed displays. This funding campaign is meant to cover the cost of producing 12 of those prints to be shown at Gallery 1313 in Toronto for the festival as a debut. The gallery will showcase the pieces in a cohesive layout designed to immerse visitors in the narrative. An artist statement and accompanying descriptions for each work will provide context.

HUSH targets both fine art enthusiasts and advocates for LGBTQ+ rights. A percentage of proceeds from print sales will be donated to local LGBTQ+ organizations, reinforcing the exhibit’s commitment to advocacy and community impact.

The goal of showing the exhibit at Contact Festival is to hopefully gain the attention of other gallery curators so that HUSH can be shown again, and again, until it can't be shown again because all the limited prints have sold.

Prints will be for sale for all 20 images, each being offered at 3 sizes.

Small prints (13.75"x10") will be a limited edition run of 200 for $500 if unframed - $750 Framed

Medium prints (27.5"x20") will be a limited edition run of 100 for $1000 if unframed - $1500 Framed

Large prints (55"x40") will be a limited edition run of 5 for $3000 if unframed - $4000 Framed

For context, a $750 framed small print carries a cost of almost $400, and I still need to be able to have enough proceeds to donate to charity and to put something towards the next project. As these pieces are fine art and meet gallery standards, the value of the collection itself rises as more prints are purchased, so as the value of the collection rises so does the amount donated to charity.

If you are interested in purchasing a print from this project let me know, The print shop that is producing the pieces can ship prints to order worldwide, keeping in mind once an edition run is sold they will no longer be available. (image thumbnails will be below)

How will the funds from this campaign be used?

The largest financial hurdle in this project is the production of the actual exhibit. HUSH is being created with the specific intent of being shown in a gallery setting, therefore gallery standards need to be upheld.

The cost of printing and framing the debut is: $7,215

The cost of printing and framing the entire exhibit is: $12,755

I know, it seems pretty steep, but to maintain gallery standards and collection value as fine art, printing and framing has to be done with specific ink, on specific papers, and framed in a specific way.

Aren't there more costs than just printing and framing?

Yes, a lot in fact. There is a rental fee for the space where the series will be shown, a fee for the artwork to be delivered from the print shop to the gallery, travel, food, Airbnb, and more. The goal is set at the cost of production as it is by far the largest hurdle, and if I can get that covered I can manage the rest.

What if you get more money than you are asking for?

Anything over the goal will go to help alleviate the other costs, but if there happens to be more than even those costs any excess would be donated to charity.

What if I want to help but am unable or am uncomfortable with sending money?

No worries! There are tons of other ways to support! Tell others about this project, share the donation link, start a dialogue with family about LGBTQ+ rights, support your local LGBTQ+ charities, or any other way you can promote discussion and positive actionable change.

Why is 25% of the profits being donated and not 100%?

I am allocating 50% of the profits to put towards the next project. This series is only the beginning. I intend to do multiple sequel series touching on a wide variety of social impact issues. Mental health, seniors, men's issues (particularly with the cis male populations high rate of suicide), women's issues, etc. are all options to receive their own HUSH installment. If you have any ideas for social impact concepts that have issues that are not talked about enough, please feel free to let me know! I am always looking for feedback to help me develop my art and be able to increase the positive impact my work can have. Now, about the last 25%. This is allocated to pay back personal fund acquisition from sources like friends, family, and debt, or if a person/company decides to pledge a large amount of funds for the project it can be reserved as a dividend for their support.

What if you don't get enough?

Then I guess I'll just have to figure something out! The intent of this fundraiser is to avoid entering crippling debt to be able to make this happen, but believe me when I say I am passionate enough about this project that I will if I have no other choice.

What if you don't succeed in obtaining gallery representation at Contact?

Then it will be much harder to succeed in the projects objectives, but I would still keep trying by submitting proposals relentlessly. If the project doesn't generate enough momentum to be able to continue working on HUSH sequels then I will likely still do the photoshoots, but would not produce them to gallery standards. That way I can continue the passion and still make some kind of impact, even if it isn't quite what I envisioned.

If you have any questions about the project, the individual pieces, my process in the creation of the series, or anything else please do not hesitate to contact me and ask. I'll answer everything I can.

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