Our Story

The Queer Culture Arts Foundation (QCAF) is more than a nonprofit—it’s the natural evolution of a seven-year journey rooted in love, community, and creative resistance. What began as small gatherings, collaborative projects, and local spaces—like reviving Pines Artwalk, hosting cultural events like poetry readings, drag shows, and ‘family dinner’ style events, to creating vehicles for change like the Visitors Center, Books and Boys, and Fire Island Tea—has grown into a living network of artists, organizers, designers, writers, spiritual workers, archivists, and dreamers who believe in the transformative power of queer culture.

We founded QCAF to formalize what we’ve already been doing: supporting queer artists, preserving our histories, and creating spaces that reflect and protect the emotional, artistic, and ancestral intelligence of our communities. From late-night kitchen-table talks to large-scale exhibitions, our work has always been driven by a belief in the sacredness of queer life and the urgency to protect it.

QCAF is built on personal stories, shared loss, creative survival, and a radical commitment to one another. We know the power of chosen family. We know what it means to make something beautiful out of what others discard. And we know that with the help of our broader community, we can dream even bigger.

We are now formalizing our future. Through residencies, exhibitions, educational initiatives, and spiritual frameworks, QCAF is laying the groundwork for a lasting cultural ecosystem—one where queer artists not only survive, but thrive. With a growing team of collaborators, board members, and cultural partners, we’re designing systems that are transparent, collaborative, and deeply rooted in service.

This isn’t just about preserving queer history. It’s about building and supporting queer futures.