The Toronto Lesbian and Gay Film and Video Festival
Now in its 15th fabulous year, Inside Out presents Canada’s largest queer film and video festival. Over 11 days, the Festival draws crowds of close to 30,000 to screenings, artist talks, panel discussions, installations and parties that highlight more than 275 films and videos from Canada and around the world.
The Queer Youth Digital
Video Project
In 1998, with the support of Charles Street Video, Inside Out initiated the Queer Youth Digital Video Project to provide opportunities for youth to learn video production in a supportive atmosphere. Queer youth under the age of 25 are mentored through the process of making their first videos-from storyboarding to shooting, to post-production and editing. The works are screened at the Festival and many go on to play at festivals around the globe. Each year, the videos are compiled on a tape and distributed free to schools and community organizations. To date, 50 youth have created work through the Project.
The John Bailey Film and Video Completion Fund
In 2001, Inside Out launched the inaugural John Bailey Film and Video Completion Fund. Named in recognition of the contribution of the long-time Inside Out supporter and Advisory Board member, the Fund awards grants ranging from $500 to $2,000 to Canadian filmmakers with work in the final stages of production.
Mark S. Bonham Scholarship for Queer Studies in Film and Video
Inaugurated in 2002, this annual $5,000 cash scholarship assists a Canadian student who identifies as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Trans to pursue post-secondary studies in the field of film or video. The first Scholarship was awarded in September 2002 to Adam Garnet Jones from Vancouver, in 2003, the scholarship went to Mary Fogarty of London, Ontario and this past autumn Christopher Sanchez of Toronto was named the recipient.
Inside Out Arts Endowment Fund
The Inside Out Arts Endowment Fund was established in December 2001 through the Ontario Arts Foundation to provide a stable base of funding for Inside Out in the future. The Fund was created thanks to a generous founding gift from Mark Bonham of $200,000, and to date it is valued at close to $300,000. Supporters of Inside Out can make tax-deductible donations specifically to the Endowment Fund (please refer to page 14 for information regarding charitable giving).
Inside Out Library and Archives
Inside Out is currently in the planning stages for the creation of a viewing library that will house copies of the films and videos screened at the Festival over its history. The library will be open to curators, programmers, students and academics to view works in-house. We intend for the library to open during 2005. To date, Inside Out has received generous financial support from the Trillium Foundation, the Pride and Remembrance Association and Canadian Heritage for the creation of the library.
