The center hosts a movie night on the
The Q Center
last Saturday of the month. Future program
Web site, which has
ming will depend on the survey results,
been operating as a
which will he gathered at Portland Pride.
blog, will undergo a
redesign early this
The Next Level
year, with hopes of
Although programming will expand in
adding a user-friend
the coming year, both from Q Center and
ly, interactive plat
led by the community, the purpose of the
form that can solicit
center is giving people a place to connect, to
responses from the
get referrals, to read a book and relax.
community.
Bingo, held monthly on first Mondays, is a popular
fund-raiser for Q Center.
“If we did no programming and we were
The center will
able to do (just] those things, that’s a tremen
continue its tradi
dous aspect,” says Baldwin. “Sometimes pro
tion of having a strong presence at Pride with
gramming, which we’re very proud of, can
a membership drive that involves a photo
overshadow the simple premise of a place to
montage of faces of the community.
be, bring the community in and reflect the
“Looking towards 2008, we’ll have to
The Q Center board is composed of a diversity of backgrounds and expertise.
Center Supports Celluloid
Q Center builds community through queer documentary fest
make a decision about where we are in the
community out.”
Baldwin says the board’s approach to
current location
growing the center is first to create and
lease,” says
Baldwin.
expand, then to strengthen and solidify.
Strengthening is what 2007 is all about.
and the
The space at Southeast Taylor Street
is generally viewed as a “destination," not
The center is seeking leadership at all
a convenient spot to stop by in the middle
levels, in an effort to bulk up membership,
of a busy day. With an eye on the future,
expand the board of directors, garner more
a new location will be larger and more
volunteers and build up individual donors.
The board is conducting a national search
nother way that Q Center collaborates with
winning 2002 feature documentary The Cockettes. Gage
community groups is through sponsorships.
served as the administrative director of the San Francisco
Though still in its first year, Q Center found
International Lesbian and Gay Film Festival for 10 years.
A
that the overlap in objectives of the center and
Q Doc is the only documentary festival featuring
a new queer documentary film festival was so
queer content in the country. The only other in the world
strong that the sponsorship was born.
is in Australia.
Q Doc, a Portland queer documentary film festival
In line with Q Center’s vision for creating communi
centrally located and have access to meet
slated for June 1 to 3 at Clinton Street Theater, is the
ty, the film festival founders believe that a fun atmosphere
ing rooms, a cyber center and a cafe.
brainchild of Russ Gage and Q Center arts and culture
should accompany viewings of the films.
for a full-time executive director. According to
“We have maximized the space that we
Baldwin, applications are filing in. The center
have, but we’re very mindful that it has its
“We’re new and trying to make a big splash, and both
queer community, and my experience has been that film
hopes to make a hiring decision in May.
limitations,” says Baldwin. “In order to
[Q Doc and Q Center] are committed to the idea of cre
festivals can provide a way for people to engage with both
complete our vision, we’ll need a larger
space to go to that next level.” ©
ating a greater sense of community cohesiveness for
the commonalities and diversity of our community," said
queers here in Portland," said Weissman. “Our objectives
Weissman. “And there are a lot of great docs out there.”
were in synch.”
Weissman, a filmmaker connected to the queer and
For more information about Q Doc visit www.queer
docfest.org. ©
indie film scene since the ’80s, is best known for his award
—J ay me e R. Cuti
The center has launched a new logo and
branding personality with the help of board
member LeAnn Locher. Subtle concepts are
in place in Q Center’s new logo, such as an
A full calendar of Q C enter activities can be
organic, open and inclusive feel.
found at www.fidxqcenter.org.
committee member David Weissman.
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