The Harvey Milk Festival is now the Fabulous Arts Foundation aka FabAF! They didn't stop at just a new name, they also combined their popular music festival with the Fabulous Independent Film Festival for 2 weeks of LGBTQ-Friendly programming! The FabAF festival will be a safe space and an important platform for our community to be seen and heard. Below you will find a guide to all the events and programming during the festival!
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FESTIVAL EVENTS
Launch Party
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800 Cocoanut Ave
Sarasota FL 34234 |
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Be a part of the experience by dressing up in a way that embodies a queer utopia to you. |
Meet the Artists & Performers
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Galvin Baez
Orlando, Florida Skilled in Foreign Languages and Interpersonal Communication. Galvin Baez founded messyvirgomusic.com as a platform to discuss music and culture, and as a work space to hone in and master his creative writing skills. Additionally, Galvin created YAASSS Events, a weekly nightlife event catered to young LGBTQ+ demographic where he was able to DJ and create everything from visuals to content. |
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ASH (Aniston Hoffman)
Sarasota, FLorida ASH is a 3rd year music major at the New College of Florida. They have played cello for about 8 years, and also play guitar, bass, piano, and the theremin. They mainly focus on music production at New College but also spend a lot of time doing an array of work with the cello. |
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John Gascot
Pinellas Park, Florida Latin American/Caribbean artist who spent the first twelve years of his life in Puerto Rico, to this he attributes his love of bold color. While he creates in a variety of styles, Latin Pop paintings are his signature. The figures in John's works are often large and curvaceous. Their mass speaks more about strength and presence than actual size. He strives to create art that is accessible and promotes diversity while simultaneously celebrating and challenging social and gender roles dictated by various cultures. |
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Tate Leigh
Saint Petersburg, Florida Tate Leigh A Kentucky native that is currently based in St. Pete, I draw inspiration from my Appalachian roots when creating, being as resourceful as possible. I love up-cycling and try to utilize it in my work whenever I can. I make my everyday living as a tattoo artist where I specialize in illustrative black work and biota. That same creative energy follows me throughout other venues as I am also a working singer-songwriter, muralist, multi-instrumentalist, painter, and builder. My love for abandoned objects and creating the impossible has led me to working larger events creating immersive and interactive art installations with a group of artists, Lost Creations Art. With some help from these friends, I have created my latest personal project, an art car that once was a 2007 Kia Spectra and now resembles a time traveling pirate ship built from mostly salvaged wood. I plan on continuing this art journey, forever growing and creating the things I wish existed. |
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Tylia Janei
Saint Petersburg, Florida A multidisciplinary art student dabbling in everything from traditional acrylic and watercolor paintings to paper collage, screen printing, jewelry making, digital and mixed media, and more. As an outspoken, biracial Afro-Latinx, polyamorous, queer advocate, they use their art as a means of speaking up and shining a light on the communities they are passionate about. When they are not slinging coffee, they are working towards building their small online queer jewelry and vintage clothing business based out of St. Petersburg, FL. As part of a former DIY venue owner, their main goal is to continue supporting events like the Fabulous Arts Foundation and creating safe spaces for musicians, artists, and queers of all caliber to express themselves. |
Fabulous Independent Film Festival
Thursday | Sept 23th - Oct 2nd
In 2016, the Harvey Milk Festival adopted Sarasota’s only LGBTQ+ film festival as a gift from Magida Diouri. They have been hand selecting the best in cinema tackling LGBTQ+ themes.
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Most of the films will be shown virtually, additionally a handful will be shown in LIVE at a drive-in movie! Check FabAF's website for additional information.
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About the Programer
SHANNON FORTNER
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Shannon Fortner worked with Magida Diouri for several years before HMF adopted The Fabulous Independent Film Festival. This year is Fortner’s second year programming the Queer+ film festival. She has enthralled the community over the years with the events she has programmed. This serves as another opportunity to continue the HMF mission while connecting artists & filmmakers with the community.
We hope you are finding value in our focus of visibility and amplifying the voices of QTBIPOC folx in the year 2021. Lifting up minority populations and speaking out against injustice is crucial for achieving true change. This year has been a bit different with our festival going virtual. Fortner felt a drive-in screening for our community would be a wonderful way to expand the festival experience. |
Meet the Feature Films
Meet the Short Films
Q+ Dance + Performance Art
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The Players Studio
1400 Boulevard of the Arts #200, Sarasota, FL 34236 |
Music & Arts Festival
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1250 10th street
Sarasota, FL 34236 |
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2021 Line-up 2:15pm Opening Speech 2:30pm Me Umbra 3:30pm Emmanuelle Sasson 4:30pm Guest Speaker 5:00pm Divine AF 6:00pm Roxx Revolt & The Velvets 7:00pm Daddy 8:00pm MeteorEYES 9:00pm Selma Nilla 9:15pm Moonkissed 10:15pm Closing remarks |
Hosted by Selma NillaSelma Nilla is a New York City based Drag Queen known for her winning appearance on the Netflix series Nailed It! Some of Selma’s work can be featured in Vogue, W Magazine, and, most recently, Cosmopolitan. From styling wigs on Broadway to performing on stages all around New York, Selma is excited to be back twirling in Sarasota where her drag career started!
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Meet the Artists & Performers
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Me Umbra
Sarasota, Florida Armed with the collection of everything he’s never been able to say, 21-year-old Me Umbra delivers pop music to his listeners with the intentions of a poet and the intensity of a stare. After co-founding the Indie-Pop band ROSE in 2017 and falling in love with performing acclaimed events in his hometown of Sarasota, he spent two years singing, writing, and producing solo music. Project: “Me Umbra” then grew to become a mantra, a promise to release all the pieces of himself he deemed unfit to represent the character his name became, and a first-ever chance to yell them from the rooftops. |
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Emmanuelle Sasson
South Florida Emmanuelle is a 19 year old singer-songwriter based in South Florida. Born in Manhattan, Emmanuelle was two years old when she first picked up a toy guitar. The guitar, completely out of tune, became the artist's first foray into music. As the years went on, Emmanuelle started learning bass, piano, drums, and ukulele while honing her vocal abilities. At fourteen, Emmanuelle began songwriting which led to her debut album, "smoke&mirrors", in April 2019, and now has over 67,000 streams on Spotify. Emmanuelle went on to play at SXSW and tour as an opening act for Stephen Kellogg and Tyrone Wells. During the pandemic, Emmanuelle began producing for herself as well as other artists. Emmanuelle's highly anticipated new single "relapse" is slated to come in late Spring/early Summer. Her upcoming sophomore album is the most personal project to date. |
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Divine AF
Florida Divine AF is an indie folk rock band comprised of LGBTQ+ songwriters and storytellers. Our music brings you the grit of rock, the heart of Americana, the depth of the blues, a slap of funk, and all the feeling of soul. We believe there is a common thread that weaves through all beings taking part in this human experience, no matter how different we may be. We honor that sacred energy and believe we are all equals. Let's sail together into the mystic! |
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Roxx Revolt and The Velvets
When solo artist ROXX REVOLT met THE VELVETS, lightning struck and started a fire. From those raging flames and embers, Roxx Revolt & The Velvets was officially born. With metal maestro DAN HEATH on bass, a wizard on the guitar — JAKE SHOCKLEY — and raging percussion by CHRIS CAMPO, the group tied up a mix of influences that have allowed them to sound nostalgic and brand new all at the same time. Each member’s individuality has molded RR&TV into what is nothing less than a supernova of glam rock, classic rock and roll and riotous punk. |
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Daddy
Jacksonville, Florida My name is Alexander Eli (he/him.) I'm a proud and open trans male musician and performer. |
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MeteorEYES
Sarasota Like a Phoenix rising from the ashes, MeteorEYES has returned to bring you a magical experience full of light, awe, energy, and wonder. Their lush synth landscapes and driving post punk energy will draw you into a world transformed, where love, acceptance, and equality transcend the bounds of our current reality and usher in a beautiful moment of sublime tranquility. You will get lost in the smooth, silky vocal melodies as your heart pounds to the primal beating of the drums and the sometimes twinkling, sometimes screaming cry of guitars. It is an explosion of the untapped potential within us all playing out in real time on a dance floor of our dreams. You may have come here lost, but underneath the surreal lights and amidst the smoke and fog you are reborn. Veiled in mystery, MeteorEYES forces us to question the masks we all wear in society, and boldly dares to create a fellowship of solidarity towards basic human equality—and all while sharing a few drinks with friends. |
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SuperKnova
Chicago, Illinois SuperKnova is a transgender musician who creates Queer Pop, a unique sound that incorporates hip-hop inspired drums, driving synths, and virtuosic guitar solos. She writes about identity, queerness and the struggle of being your authentic self. Her music has received significant praise and has been featured on Showtime’s Work In Progress, Out.com, GoldFlakePaint and multiple Spotify editorial playlists. |
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MoonKissed
NewYork City, New York Emily, Khaya, and Leah met at a New Year’s party on the lower east side in New York City. Their self-released debut album, aptly named, I Met My Band At A New Year’s Party, draws upon themes of youth, heartbreak, and the quiet power behind vulnerability. It features infectious hooks, virtuosic synth lines, and unique drum melodies. the producer, Khaya, takes inspiration from acts like Chairlift, Charlie XCX, Grimes, and St. Vincent; and feels a deep connection to the soundscape she’s created for each of the songs. This band is sheer, unadulterated energy. The connection between them is undeniable, and palpable in the air when they perform. Since meeting on New Year’s of 2019, they have played 50+ sweaty, intense shows all around Brooklyn, Manhattan, and the East Coast. The purpose of their shows is to create a moment, to hone the magic that happens between audience and performer when music is going on. It is cathartic, exhilarating, and intimate. Plus, Leah falls in love with someone in the audience at every show, which adds an element of surprise. |
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Drag Queen Brunch
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Tarpon Bay
7150 N. Tamiami Trail Sarasota, Florida 34243 |