Business Details
17 Years
experience
Empowering LGBTQ+ Artists Through Arts & Wellness Programs
We are a grassroots, interdisciplinary collaborative of Oakland-based disabled, Black, Indigenous, and Brown LGBTQ+ artists and wellness practitioners serving a global community. Founded in 2009 as Spectrum Queer Media, our center provides a safe space for QTPOC artists to heal, build, and support their creative practices through arts workshops, wellness sessions, and community programs. Our mission focuses on health equity through culturally competent art innovation and LGBTQIA rights advocacy, with a vision to empower marginalized queer artists while preserving East Bay LGBTQ+ history.We operate a 5,000 sq ft facility featuring galleries, event spaces, and digital archives that have served over 25,000 community members since inception. Our programs include arts festivals, professional development opportunities, and life-sustaining services like our former Food Justice initiative that provided 30,000 meals to QTIBIPOC individuals.
Services
Arts Workshops
Wellness Sessions
Event Rentals
Digital Archives
Community Programs
Artist Advocacy
Details
- Year established: 2009
Highlights and features
- Grassroots collaborative led by Black Queer + Trans artists
- Culturally competent programs serving QTPOC communities globally
- Healing-justice values integrated into all programming
- Affordable community art + wellness workshops since 2009
- Maintains East Bay LGBTQ+ Digital Archives and Legacy Collection
What people say
Inclusive environment
Culturally relevant programming
Supportive community
Services
Arts Workshops
Offering multidisciplinary art instruction for all skill levels, including visual arts, performance, and literary workshops led by professional QTPOC artists. Programs emphasize cultural expression and technical development while fostering community connections. Participants gain access to exhibition opportunities and professional networking within the queer arts ecosystem.
Wellness Sessions
Holistic wellness offerings combining traditional healing practices with modern therapeutic approaches. Includes yoga, meditation, and trauma-informed care sessions designed specifically for LGBTQ+ communities. Programs prioritize accessibility for disabled individuals and incorporate ancestral healing methodologies from diverse cultural backgrounds.
Event Rentals
Flexible event space accommodating up to 85 guests with full audio-visual capabilities. Features curated art galleries and dedicated wellness rooms for specialized programming. Available for community events, performances, and private functions while maintaining regular cultural programming for QTPOC artists.
Digital Archives
Comprehensive digital repository documenting East Bay LGBTQ+ history with focus on marginalized voices. Contains oral histories, performance recordings, and art collections accessible to researchers and community members. Maintains the Black Trans Legacy Archive and hosts public history recording sessions for ongoing collection development.
Community Programs
Initiatives combining arts programming with social justice advocacy, including youth mentorship, artist grants, and mutual aid distribution. Programs specifically target QTIBIPOC communities through targeted outreach and culturally competent service delivery frameworks that address systemic inequities in arts access.
People
Monica Anderson
Founder
Founder of Spectrum Queer Media and Kin Folkz, Monica established the center in 2009 to create sustainable spaces for QTPOC artists. Her leadership focuses on healing justice frameworks and community-led programming.
Questions
What types of art workshops do you offer?
We provide multidisciplinary workshops including visual arts, performance, literary arts, and digital media instruction led by professional QTPOC artists across various experience levels.
Is your facility accessible for disabled visitors?
Our main space has partial accessibility with ongoing improvements. We provide accommodations for most programs and offer virtual participation options for those unable to access the physical location.
How can artists submit exhibition proposals?
Artists can submit proposals through our website's 'Propose Workshop' link. We prioritize QTPOC creators and maintain a rotating gallery schedule featuring diverse artistic disciplines.
Do you offer financial assistance for programs?
We maintain sliding-scale fees and donation-based membership tiers. Our Giving Circle provides subsidized access to workshops, events, and space rentals for low-income participants.
What community events do you host annually?
Our calendar includes REVOLVE Pride Festival, Black Queer + Trans Film Project screenings, monthly open mics, and quarterly arts crawls featuring local QTPOC performers and visual artists.
How is the center funded?
We operate through a combination of program fees, private donations, monthly giving circles, and grants from arts and social justice foundations supporting our QTPOC-led mission.
